Category: Home page

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., March 2, 2023 — The West Liberty University Foundation has announced that The Health Plan will sponsor its seventh annual Topper Day of Giving. The 24-hour online giving event is set for Wednesday, April 5 and is expected to generate vital financial support for West Liberty University’s mission of higher education.

“We are pleased to welcome The Health Plan as our Title Sponsor for Topper Day of Giving. With its support as a valued partner, we expect this year’s Day of Giving to be our most successful yet,” said Betsy Delk, executive director of the WLU Foundation.

“Topper Day of Giving is one of the Foundation’s most important and successful fundraisers each year. Donations from alumni, faculty, and the community help grow scholarship opportunities for students and funding for programs across campus.”

President and CEO of The Health Plan Jeff Knight acknowledged the importance of supporting educational opportunities in the Ohio Valley.

“As one of the largest employers in Wheeling, The Health Plan has a vested interest in promoting West Liberty University and helping WLU students achieve their academic and career goals. It’s important for The Health Plan and all local employers to have a solid source of local talent,” he said.

The annual Topper Day of Giving has grown in dollars raised and number of donors each year, according to Delk.

“Last year, more than $280,000 was raised on the Day of Giving from more than 1,200 donors. We are grateful for this support and thank every donor,” she said.

The growth of Day of Giving has been fueled by the addition of “micro-campaigns” which allow donors to earmark their gifts for the program or initiative that matters most to them. Engaged faculty, students and athletes encourage gifts to their program through creative social media campaigns, mailings, emails and phone calls.

“The campus community will become energized in the days leading up to Topper Day of Giving. Students and faculty will tell their stories and appeal to alumni, family, and friends to support their programs and unlock the matching funds that have been pledged to support their area,” said Delk.

For a complete list of matching donors and the programs that benefit, please visit wlufoundation.org/dayofgiving.

Pledges received on or before April 5 and paid by June 30, 2023 count toward a match. Gifts of stock or IRA rollovers are gratefully accepted with all donations counting toward the matching funds.

For more information or to make a gift on April 5, please visit the secure site found at: wlufoundation.org/dayofgiving or call WLU Foundation at 304.336.5635.

Additional support for Day of Giving is provided by alumni Alex and Valerie Paris, Liberty Distributors, Gellner Law Offices and Wheeling Volkswagen Subaru.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Jan. 20, 2023 — The West Liberty University Foundation Board of Directors recently selected Wheeling resident Betsy Delk to serve as its executive director.  

“The WLU Foundation is pleased to welcome Betsy to this leadership role. She is very experienced with boards, fundraising, and with development. We are confident in her ability and feel certain that she will be a good fit for West Liberty University into the future,” said John Dolan, chairman of the WLU Foundation Board of Directors.

Delk most recently served as director of Institutional Advancement for the Wheeling Symphony Society and formerly practiced law with Bachmann, Hess, Bachmann & Garden in Wheeling. 

“As a lifelong resident of the Ohio Valley, I know the significant place that West Liberty University holds in our community and region as a center of education, growth and development. I am pleased to join the WLU Foundation and its dedicated board members who support our mission of increasing opportunities for students of all backgrounds to pursue higher learning,” said Delk, who began her position on Jan. 16, 2023.

Delk is a graduate of Miami University (Ohio) and the William & Mary College of Law (Va.). She resides in Wheeling with her husband David and has three daughters.  

Delk replaces WLU Foundation President Angie Zambito-Hill who resigned in December.

Other officers serving on the WLU Foundation Board of Directors include: Vice Chairman Dr. Daniel Joseph of Wheeling, Treasurer Russell Dunkin of Wheeling and Secretary Dr. Anissa Anderson of New Martinsville, W.Va.

The WLU Foundation supports the University through the cultivation, investment and stewardship of private funds.

Delk’s office is located at the WLU Foundation downtown location, 1100 Main St., Wheeling. For more information, please contact Delk at betsy.delk@westliberty.edu or 304-336-5635.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Nov. 23, 2022 — West Liberty University graduates will hear from Google Strategic account executive and member of the WLU Board of Governors, Arlene Brantley, at its Fall Commencement Ceremony, which takes place at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 10, in the Academic, Sports and Recreation Complex (ASRC).

Brantley was appointed to the Board of Governors in June of 2021. Brantley will speak on the topic of change and transformation as the key to personal growth.  

As a leader within a Fortune 500 enterprise company in the Southeast, Brantley collaborates with high-ranking executives in support of their digital transformation strategies to grow, evolve and meet the changing needs of their global customers and workforce. 

Prior to Google, Brantley spent more than 20 years in brand and leadership roles at key corporations like Microsoft and IBM.

Brantley earned an Executive MBA from Kennesaw State University’s Michael J. Coles College of Business in Kennesaw, Ga. Prior to that she earned a bachelor of arts degree from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.

Brantley is a resident of Atlanta, Ga.

Doors open for seating at commencement at 9:30 a.m. and each graduate receives five tickets for fall commencement.

The Commencement ceremonies will be streamed live on Topper Station and will be broadcast live on social media (YouTube and Facebook) for those unable to attend. 

Parking will be available for guests behind the ASRC.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Oct. 21, 2022 — The West Liberty University Foundation celebrated philanthropy and its donors today as it welcomed alumni and friends back to campus for Homecoming 2022.

The Oct. 21 Recognition Banquet began with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. and was followed by a catered dinner, all held in the renovated College Union.

Singled out for special honors were the John P. McCullough Society, the Nathan Shotwell Society, the President’s Circle, and the 2022 Impact of Philanthropy Award recipients.

This Philanthropy Awards are presented to a select group of donors who have given a generous amount of $25,000 or more during fiscal year 2022 to advance priority projects for WLU. These donors received a commemorative crystal award, engraved with their names as a token of gratitude.

Each of these award recipients also appeared in a brief video interview that explained a little bit about their history and reason for giving to WLU.

The inspiring videos will be shared via Topper Station (WLU’s streaming service) as of Saturday, Oct. 22 for replay-

“We are so grateful to our donors and pleased to share their stories with you this evening,” said Angela Zambito Hill, president of the WLU Foundation.

She and WLU Foundation Chairman John Dolan, also an alumnus, emceed the event and expressed the WLU Foundation’s thanks to each recipient.

2022 Impact of Philanthropy Honorees are:

• Kris Williams ’86 & James Taibi ’86
• Patricia Bethel ’70 and ’79
• Paula Keith ’71
• Coach Bob Roe Era Alumni Group: Rodney Reese ’70
• Coach Bob Roe Era Alumni Group: Anthony Filberto ’76
• Alumni Association of the School of Nursing Ohio Valley General Hospital
• Sisters of St. Joseph Health & Wellness Foundation
• Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration (unable to attend)

2022 Homecoming Sponsors include:

• Title Sponsor: Barnes & Noble College Bookstores
• Homecoming Game Sponsor: The Alpha Tavern
• 1837 Sustainer: WesBanco and Zambito Flooring America
• Recognition Banquet Table Sponsor: Dawn Ann Dean, RDH, MSDH
• Topper Friend: Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED), Zambito Family Dentistry, Zeno, Pockle, Lilly, and Copeland, AC
• Print Sponsor Richardson Copy Concepts

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Oct. 18, 2022 — West Liberty University Foundation selected three students this fall to serve as interns as it offers real world experience for students preparing for professional careers in the nonprofit sector.

“The Foundation is pleased to partner with more students to build a culture of philanthropy on campus. This initiative is driven by our strategic planning goal of building up student engagement in philanthropy,” said Angela Zambito-Hill, WLU Foundation president, who has led the non-profit foundation since 2016 and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).

“These students will learn the skills of fundraising, board development, private sector partnership, communications, event planning, and financial management of a non-profit,” she said.

The interns now assisting the WLU Foundation in its daily work include:

• Sydney Burkle, a junior marketing major from Wheeling. Burkle is the Lead Development Intern and reports primarily to Zambito-Hill. She also assists with the Hilltopper Athletic Club (HAC), providing support to Kyle Lutz, who serves as WLU Foundation administrative assistant and HAC coordinator. She also serves as Student Government Association (SGA) president.
• Oyunbolor Battsogt, a senior finance and accounting major from of Ulaanbaator, Mongolia. Battsogt is the Finance Intern and reports primarily to Ginni Findley, WLU Foundation Finance Administrator and a Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNPA), who handles much of the accounting and daily financial duties of the organization. Battsogt also serves as treasurer for the WesBanco Student Investment Club and is a leader with the campus Net Impact Chapter.
• Samantha Large, a junior, marketing and business administration major from of Elizabeth, Pa. Large is the Development and Social Media Intern and reports to Lutz. She is a member of the Woman for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) chapter that meets at WLU.

The Foundation just completed one of its biggest events held annually for students, Scholarship Day. This day-long activity includes scholarship students taking the time to write a personal Thank You to each and every donor who provides the valuable support of funding and endowing scholarships.

WLU Foundation Scholarships were established and funded by individuals or organizations to provide an opportunity to WLU students. The WLU Foundation is pleased to manage over 157 scholarship funds.

The West Liberty University Foundation, Inc. was chartered into existence in 1964 and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, led by its office staff. It maintains offices on both the West Liberty University campus and in downtown Wheeling. 

Its mission is to raise, invest, and steward private funds to strengthen West Liberty University and to increase opportunity for students of all backgrounds to pursue higher learning. For more information, please visit wlufoundation.org or call 304.336.5635.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., June 15, 2022 — West Liberty University recently was gifted with a $25,000 donation that will result in a newly funded nursing scholarship to provide students interested in nursing careers with financial assistance in earning their degree.

“I am so grateful to the Ohio Valley General Hospital (OVGH) School of Nursing alumni association for endowing this new and much needed scholarship. Nurses are needed now more than ever,” said Angela Zambito Hill, president of the WLU Foundation.

Retired nurse April Edwards of Shadyside, Ohio was the initial contact from the OVGH Alumni Association who worked with the WLU Foundation for several years to set the scholarship up and provide the initial endowment check. COVID-19 held it up last summer but it is now a reality.

“We’re proud to provide the scholarship money for students who need financial assistance and proud to be associated with WLU,” said Ruth Murphy of Barnesville, Ohio, who serves as president of the OVGH alumni association.

The intention is to help nontraditional nursing students earn their degree, noted Murphy.

“We are particularly pleased to accept this scholarship based on the historic relationship between WLU’s nursing program, and the OVGH School of Nursing which was very helpful when we began our program,” said Dr. Rose Kutlenios, who is chair of the Department of Nursing.

The OVGH alumni was founded in the 1980s and remains active, even though the Ohio Valley General Hospital School of Nursing was closed in 1988, according to records kept by the Ohio County Public Library archives.

When the School of Nursing closed, the student nurses transferred to West Liberty to complete their degrees, according to Murphy.

Initially known as the City Hospital Training School for Nurses, it opened in conjunction with Wheeling’s City Hospital in 1892 and was the first nursing school in West Virginia. Even now, the alumni association meets five times a year and sends out newsletters to about 500 members.

WLU’s Nursing Program consistently ranks as one of the best in the region and was recently awarded the maximum length of accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Students can choose from both the traditional nursing baccalaureate program and the BA-BS to BSN or second-degree program. 

For more information on WLU’s Nursing Program, please visit the website: westliberty.edu/nursing or call 304.336.8108.

The WLU Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization established in 1964. Its mission is to support, strengthen and sustain WLU through raising, investment and stewardship of private funds. For more information, please call 304-336-5635 or visit wlufoundation.org.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. Sept. 2, 2021 — A new music scholarship is making one West Liberty University student sing for joy.

Josephine “Josie” Jarrett of Benwood, W.Va. is the first recipient of the Judith Bartell Paesani Vocal Music Scholarship.

A music education major, Jarrett is the daughter of Melinda Gilmore of Benwood and Phillip Jarrett of Moundsville. A graduate of John Marshall High School, she plans to teach music and theater in the future.

“It is an honor to receive this scholarship and I’m very thankful to be the first. I will make sure it is justified,” said Jarrett, who is a member of the West Liberty University Singers. Jarrett also is an alumna of WLU, having earned a degree in theater in 2020.

According to WLU Foundation Executive Director Angie Zambito-Hill, “Judy and Andy Paesani established this endowed scholarship fund in December of 2019 with a gift of $75,000 and we are pleased to make the first disbursement during the 2021- 2022 academic year. Judy and Andy are loyal supporters of West Liberty University who know the value of assisting our students. We are truly grateful.”

“The endowed scholarship fund produced a $1,000 scholarship this academic year but it will grow to support even more music students in the future,” she added.

Judith Bartell Paesani recalls that she was heavily influenced by her mother’s love of music and singing and this scholarship seemed the perfect way to honor her mother, Aldene Miller Bartell, the wife of one of West Liberty’s iconic leaders.

“I recall singing and enjoying music with my mother at home when I was young. It was always a fun way to pass an evening, especially while my father was away,” recalls Judy. Her father was WLU’s legendary football coach Joseph Bartell and he took the car to away games since at that time, there was no school transportation provided to athletes and coaches.

Judy and Andy are both WLU alumni and are pleased to see the scholarship help music students at the university they love, while at the same time honoring her mother.

Her mother, Aldene Miller Bartell, studied piano as a youngster and loved to sing. While a teenager she even played the piano for silent movies. Judy recalls that her mother formed a vocal trio when she first arrived on campus from Fairview, W.Va., her hometown.

Dr. Joseph A. Bartell served at West Liberty in many capacities from 1933 to 1971, including football coach, athletic director, dean of men and dean of students. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1981. 

Judy earned her bachelor’s degree from WLU’s College of Education and went on to earn a master’s from the University of Connecticut. Andy earned his bachelor’s degree, also from the College of Education, and went on to earn both a master’s and doctoral degree from the University of Iowa.

Judy’s mom was an elementary school teacher and eventually went back to college to finish her degree at WLU, graduating in 1956, in part at Judy’s urging.

“I’m sure that she would be very happy to know that this scholarship is being used to support a future music teacher,” said Zambito-Hill.

The WLU Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization established in 1964. Its mission is to support, strengthen and sustain WLU through raising, investment and stewardship of private funds. For more information on establishing endowments or making donations, please call 304.336.5635.

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Aug. 4, 2021 — After a year of pandemic restrictions, West Liberty University athletic fans will find a revitalized Hilltopper Athletic Club (HAC) something to cheer about.

“We are pleased to be back in action this fall with new and improved benefits for our fans, including corporate sponsorships. We have VIP club memberships available at all levels, beginning with a Young Alumni rate and going all the way up to the Championship Sponsorship, so please call me today,” said Alexis Montes, assistant director of Alumni Giving.

“Hilltopper Athletic Club members are the backbone of support for our athletic programs and we are so grateful to our loyal fans that join and provide the university with needed dollars for athletic improvements.”

Some of the improvements that the HAC paid for recently include:

• Eye-catching wall art for the basketball lobby in the Academic, Sports, and Recreation Complex (ASRC),
• LED lighting for locker room entry ways,
• State of the art cameras for practices and mandated conference film exchange,
• New laundry equipment for women’s soccer,
• Upgrades to Blatnik Hall to support wrestling, acrobatics and tumbling and cross country and track student-athletes.

“It’s easy to see that by joining the Jack Adams Hilltopper Athletic Club, alumni and friends support the winning tradition of Hilltopper Athletics and boost WLU student-athletes! But just as important, the club offers VIP seating in the comfortable hospitality box and a great chance to mix and mingle with alumni and friends. Delicious game-day food, beverages, big screen TVs and more are all part of the advantage of being a member of the club,” Montes said.

Members receive admission to the Charlie Annett Hospitality Box during all home football games at the West Family Stadium and admission to the Basketball Track VIP area. WLU’s football team kicks off a full 11-game schedule at home at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 2 when Coach Roger Waialae’s Hilltoppers host Walsh (Ohio) in a non-conference game under the lights at West Family Stadium.

Managed by the WLU Foundation, HAC members are valued and rewarded with a variety of VIP fan advantages.

Levels of giving and HAC perks start with a Championship Package at the $2,500 level, offering VIP Access for two for all home football and basketball games, parking pass, promotional deals, a VIP company party, plus many other advantages.

“There are so many different levels of giving to choose from and each has perks designed to offer mutually beneficial benefits. We have a level for every fan or sponsor,” Montes said.

To find out more, or to become a part of Hilltopper Athletic Club’s winning tradition, please contact Montes, herself a former Hilltopper track and field star at 304.336.8401 or visit wlufoundation.org/hac.

HAC members enjoy cheering for the Hilltoppers as they support scholarships, assist with athletic team needs, and fund capital improvement. All dollars raised are deposited into the WLU Foundation to support student-athletes.

The Hilltoppers are charter members of the NCAA Division II Mountain East Conference with nearly 500 student-athletes participating in 18 intercollegiate sports. Its nationally-ranked men’s basketball team has won more games and scored more points than any other NCAA DII program over the past decade.

To find out more about WLU athletics, please visit hilltoppersports.com. To contact Montes by phone, please dial 304.336.8401 or 304.336.5635.