YCF Awards Over $250,000 in Scholarships for 2020-21 Academic Year

May 28, 2020

Morgantown, WV – YCF is pleased to announce $255,850 in scholarships have been awarded to 100 local students for the 2020-21 academic year.  Applications were evaluated by scholarship committees comprised of more than 100 local community members across North Central West Virginia.

“We are thankful to the donors who provide these important scholarship funds, as well as, the volunteers who invest their time to review so many outstanding student applications,” shared YCF President, Patty Showers Ryan. “The pandemic has interfered with our in-person award presentations, but we will celebrate the outstanding achievements of these students regardless, and wish them continued success with their educational goals.”

Scholarship endowments require a minimum donation of $20,000 which may be achieved over a two-year period.  The principal is invested and the earnings provide scholarship dollars – forever.  Donors may suggest award criteria, and the funds are often named in honor or memory of loved ones.

In 2020, YCF received more than 300 applications through its online process.  Graduating high school seniors and students currently enrolled in post-secondary education are able to apply.  An additional 37 students are receiving renewable scholarships – funds donors have provided to help students complete their education over multiple years.

Two new scholarships for Marion County students made inaugural awards this year, the EQT Scholarship, and the Sam McLaughlin Scholarship for the Arts.

The EQT Scholarship was established by the EQT Foundation to recognize high-performing students residing in the areas served by the company.  This scholarship fund awards five $1,000 one-time scholarships and one full-ride, renewable scholarship with an annual value of up to $18,000. This year’s $1,000 scholarships recipients for Marion County are Aiden Cloutier, Fairmont Senior High School; Michael Garrett, North Marion High School; Aaron Gorman, East Fairmont High School; Lance Payton, Fairmont Senior High School; and Christian Sabatino, Fairmont Senior High School. The full-ride EQT Scholarship for Marion County was awarded to Lauren Pyles, North Marion High School.

The Sam McLaughlin Scholarship for the Arts was established by the family of the late William “Sam” McLaughlin III, to honor Sam’s lifelong commitment to and passion for the arts. This fund provides a scholarship to a graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, pursuing post-secondary education in fine arts. The inaugural recipient is Caitlynn Buckler, Fairmont Senior High School.

YCF congratulates all of its scholarship recipients throughout North Central West Virginia.  Following are the 71 new scholarship recipients for the 2020-21 academic year:

Scott Argabrite Memorial ScholarshipMadison Hancheck, St. James High School

Joycelyn A. and Robert A. Ayersman Sr. Memorial ScholarshipLaurel Williams, Preston High School

Ernest Daniel Conaway, Raymond Guy Baker and Everett Reece Baker Memorial ScholarshipLeigha Jordan, Fairmont Senior High School; Ethan Wimer, Preston High School

Brandi Kay Bowen ScholarshipMaci Britton, Doddridge County High School; Trinity Neely, Doddridge County High School

Jacob David Bower “Bower Power” Memorial ScholarshipAiden Slusser, East Fairmont High School; Mark Webb, East Fairmont High School

William “Will” Charleton Bridges ScholarshipJuliana Summers, Fairmont Senior High School

Seth Burton Memorial ScholarshipAmara Mason, North Marion High School

Flora O. Corpening ScholarshipHannah Price, Bridgeport High School; Brooke Wagner, Bridgeport High School

Sgt. Christopher Dalton Memorial ScholarshipTallan Embrey, West Virginia University

The William Charles Davis and Dorcas Regina Davis Educational ScholarshipAbigail Boggs, Fairmont State University

The Jean and Laurence S. DeLynn ScholarshipPreston Brock, Morgantown High School; Jadyn Davis, Morgantown High School; Kambreigha Dudas, Jefferson-Morgan High School (PA); Alexander Imperial, Bridgeport High School; Chesney Manko, Preston High School; Benjamin Pell, Preston High School; Christian Sabatino, Fairmont Senior High School

Lillian A. Devison ScholarshipAnna Malone, West Liberty University

Jim Dunn Memorial ScholarshipMichael Garrett, North Marion High School; Zoe Shetty, University High School; Trey Smith-Tatham, Preston High School; Mackenzie Stanley, Fairmont Senior High School

EQT ScholarshipLauren Pyles (full ride scholarship), North Marion High School; Aiden Cloutier, Fairmont Senior High School; Michael Garrett, North Marion High School; Aaron Gorman, East Fairmont High School; Lance Payton, Fairmont Senior High School; Christian Sabatino, Fairmont Senior High School

Catherine Flynn Morrison Memorial ScholarshipHannah Price, Bridgeport High School

PFC Andrew Martin “Bo” Harper Memorial ScholarshipSophia Fazzini, Notre Dame High School; Hannah Nieman, University High School

Brenda B. Hellwig Vocational Development ScholarshipKaylee Elsey, Fairmont Senior High School

HopeWorks ScholarshipOlivia Groves, Morgantown High School

J. Cecil Jarvis Memorial ScholarshipNicholas Strogen, Michigan State College of Law

Erin Marie Keener Nursing ScholarshipHannah Parrish, West Virginia University

KHS Class of ’59 Scholarship – Emily Passerby, Preston High School

Charlotte and Mary Gail Koen ScholarshipShane Humphreys, North Marion High School; Gable Kolb, North Marion High School

Dr. Leo Kotchek Memorial ScholarshipTaylor Robinson, Preston High School

Rusty Mazzie Memorial ScholarshipMatthew Ellis, Notre Dame High School

Sam McLaughlin Scholarship for the ArtsCaitlynn Buckler, Fairmont Senior High School

Mountain Loggers Cooperative Association (MLCA) ScholarshipLauren Cox, homeschooled

North Elementary ScholarshipCamila Romero, Morgantown High School

Soundra K. Poling — Brookhaven Elementary ScholarshipGrace McCusker, Morgantown High School

Frances Scarcelli Tyler ScholarshipBethany Knight, Notre Dame High School

Angela Scotchel Memorial Basketball ScholarshipAshten Boggs, University High School

Bobby Lee Secret Memorial ScholarshipAlessandro Cava, Notre Dame High School

Angela Shahan Memorial ScholarshipEthan Wimer, Preston High School

Margaret L. Spencer Health Career Education ScholarshipTyler Ray, West Virginia University

Roy and Frances Valentine Family ScholarshipAudrey Chapman, Berkeley Springs High School

Micah Wilson Memorial ScholarshipMadison Shuttlesworth, University High School

Matthew “Biggie” Wolfe Memorial ScholarshipMarriah Straub, West Virginia University

Woodrow W. Woods ScholarshipJessica Blizzard, United Technical Center; Charles Davisson, West Virginia University; Matthew Ellis, Notre Dame High School; Madeline Griffith, West Virginia University; Luke Hatfield, Bridgeport High School; Halli Toothman, Lincoln High School; Gabriel Howe, Pierpont Community & Technical College; Matthew Howe, Robert C. Byrd High School; Miya Lantz, Liberty High School; Anna Malone, West Liberty University; Seth Plaugher, West Virginia University; Jack Ray, Marshall University; Wyatt Ray, Marshall University; Mackenzie Steele, West Virginia University; Sarah Wright, Bridgeport High School

For more information please call (304) 296-3433 or visit YCF’s website at: http://ycfwv.org.

Updated 6.18.20