Marshall University Foundation
Marshall University Foundation, Inc.
One John Marshall Dr.
Huntington, WV 25755
304-696-6264
1-866-308-1346
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Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications (304) 696-7153
Campaign Tops $55 Million
Marshall’s Campaign for National Prominence has reached a total of more than $55 million, according to Dr. H. Keith Spears, Marshall Vice President for Institutional Advancement and one of the co-directors of the campaign. One of the most recent pledges was from the Sarah and Pauline Maier Foundation, in the amount of $500,000 toward the Robert C. Byrd Biotechnology Science Center. The Maier Foundation, its president, Dr. Ed Maier (’69, H.L.D.’02) and his wife, Susan Runyan Maier (’77), have supported a number of Marshall projects.
"Our Foundation’s principal mission is higher education in West Virginia," Maier said. "We feel the [biotechnology] center is going to have a number of positive influences in education, from educating teachers for the public schools in primary and secondary education to undergraduate and graduate education at Marshall. We think one aspect that may have a very profound effect, not only in the Huntington community but also in the southern half of West Virginia, has to do with the positive economic development effects we think this center will have."The foundation’s first gift to Marshall came when the foundation challenged the Masons, dollar for dollar, to raise $1 million for needy West Virginia students to attend Marshall and West Virginia University, with the funds to be split between the two institutions.
Then, in 1971, the foundation began a program in Marshall’s English Department to give an award of $5,000 annually to talented student writers, and a Latin Award was created in 1978. The foundation also provided funding to help set up the Higher Education for Learning Problems (H.E.L.P.) program, and an $1 million endowment for the Yeager Scholars Program.
In 2001, the Marshall University Foundation received a challenge gift from Ed and Susan Maier to establish the Susan Runyan Maier Distance Learning Classroom in the College of Education and Human Services. A special classroom was refurbished, equipped, and furnished.
“We are progressing very well toward our campaign goal,” Spears said in making the announcement. “It is people like the Maiers and groups like the Maier Foundation that will help Marshall students and programs thrive.”