In order to honor the memory of his dear companion, partner and friend, Valerie Renee Callas, and to preserve her name in perpetuity, Peter M. Sontag (’69) has established the Valerie Renee Callas Scholarship Endowment for deserving West Liberty State College students majoring in psychology. Valerie, who passed away on November 5, 2004, enjoyed her visits to the West Liberty campus and believed in the mission of the institution. Peter, an honorary member of the West Liberty State College Foundation board of directors, the first inductee on the WLSC Alumni Wall of honor and 1988 commencement speaker, is a renowned leader in the worldwide travel and transportation industry. He resides in Clearwater, Florida.
Peter stated: “Valerie and I shared togetherness for six years. Our lives were intertwined with memories of extensive travel, joint activities and common interests. I showed Valerie Europe from the European perspective. I introduced her to opera for which she acquired a deep fondness. We rode our motorcycles together; went skiing in Colorado; and sailed the Gulf of Mexico. We were avid swing dancers and laughed at our ineptness at trying to learn the Tango. Valerie stood by me in my business and eagerly helped out at my office when the need arose. We cooked together – her specialty was Spanakopita, of course. She learned to appreciate fine wine and enjoyed dining in the European style. She was a wonderful hostess and was loved and admired by all who met her. She was the personification of class and elegance. She was a remarkable and accomplished person. I loved, admired and cherished her. Valerie was also afflicted by certain profound and painful psychological issues that manifested themselves in deep depressions ultimately resulting in the way she chose to leave us. That’s why I felt so strongly in my desire to establish a psychology scholarship in her name and would hope that the students who receive the benefit of it would focus their studies on the effects of and remedies for individuals afflicted by the illness of depression!”
Every four years one or more incoming freshman students will be awarded with a four year scholarship.
Requirements:
- Eligible applicants must be an incoming freshman declaring a degree in psychology.
- Applicants must have a high school grade point average of 3.5 and a score of 22 on the ACT or 1,030 on the SAT.
Maintaining Eligibility:
- Maintain a 3.0 overall GPA (evaluated annually)
- Remain in a qualifying major as a full-time student
If you are a prospective or current student interested in applying for this scholarship, please contact the Chair of the Department of Psychology at 304-336-8106.