Maier Foundation Funds College Scholarships for Four McDowell County, W.Va., Students

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—Four McDowell County, W.Va., high school students were selected today to receive one-year, $5,000 college scholarships in a program funded by the Maier Foundation and sponsored by Reconnecting McDowell, a public-private partnership convened by the American Federation of Teachers.

The scholarships are the first set awarded by Reconnecting McDowell, a comprehensive, long-term initiative to make educational improvement in McDowell County the route to a brighter economic future. The winning students were chosen based on essays describing their community involvement and how they think their efforts have made the community better.

Each awardee will receive $2,500 once the student has enrolled in a West Virginia college or university in fall 2018, and another $2,500 at the start of the second semester of the college year and proof of the student’s continued enrollment.

The Maier Foundation’s primary mission is to support higher education for West Virginia students.

“We believe higher education is the key to a brighter economic future for McDowell County. We encourage the scholarship recipients to return to McDowell County after they complete their education so that they can continue to make a positive impact on the community,” said Brad Rowe, president of the Maier Foundation.

“All of the students who applied for the scholarship are winners. They have already given back to their communities in a variety of ways, have enrolled in a college or university, and are making plans for a successful future. This is what Reconnecting McDowell is all about, and we thank the Maier Foundation for helping to ease the cost of tuition,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten.

The scholarship recipients are:

• Jamie Kaitlyn Belcher of Mount View High School, who will be attending West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
• Martuise DeQuan Hansbury of Mount View High School, who will be attending Marshall University.
• Danielle Lafferty of Mount View High School, who will be attending West Virginia University.
• Kaylee Nichole Muncy of River View High School, who will be attending Marshall University.