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Scholarships
WVU ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES Volume 3 Issue 1
Alumni Generosity Makes
Scholarships Possible
If there is one thing for which we are more grateful to our alumni than anything else, it is their
ongoing support for scholarships for our students. Our alumni understand the value of a WVU
engineering education, and the meaning of giving back. Five have recently established new endowed
scholarships:
A. E. Griffith Bates, Sr.,
BS ’34 (Electrical
Engineering) was honored
by the A. E. Griffith Bates, Sr.
Electrical Engineering
Scholarship, established by
his children, Dr. Patricia Bates
Simun and A. E. Griffith
Bates, Jr. The scholarship will
be awarded to undergraduate
students in electrical
engineering who have
demonstrated financial need.
A specialist in nuclear
reactors, Mr. Bates was a
retiree of the Oak Ridge
National Laboratories, Union
Carbide Corp. in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee. He served his
country in World War II as a
radar specialist and was a
retired lieutenant colonel in
the U. S. Army.
William L. Fourney, BS
’62 (Aerospace
Engineering) recently
established the Fourney
Family Scholarship in
Aerospace Engineering to
assist students who excel in
their aerospace engineering
studies. Bill received his
master’s from WVU in 1963,
and his Ph.D. from the
University of Illinois in 1966.
He is a mechanical
engineering professor and a
former aerospace engineering
department chair at the
University of Maryland. “As a
professor, I see many
intelligent engineering
students,” Bill said, “I wanted
to establish a scholarship at
my alma mater to help a
student achieve the type of
success that my education has
provided.” In 1990, he was
inducted into the WVU
Distinguished Alumni
Academy of Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering, and
he serves on the College
Advisory Committee. Bill is
one of three Fourney brothers
with Gene ’54, and Mike ’58,
who received aerospace
engineering degrees from
WVU.
Warren Sharpenberg,
BS ’48 (Mining
Engineering) was recently
memorialized by a
scholarship endowed to the
Department of Mining
Engineering by his wife of 58
years, Grace. The scholarship
will provide funds to students
who demonstrate academic
potential in the field. “He was
a credit to our College, with a
highly successful career,” said
Chris Bise, chair of mining
engineering. “We are honored
that his wife has decided to
set up a fund in his name to
help other students strive for
excellence.” Warren was a
former vice president of
Consolidation Coal Company
and president of Itmann Coal
Company. Throughout his
career, he made outstanding
contributions to the mining
industry. He passed away on
November 7, 2005.
Jack F. Waters, BS ’87
(Electrical Engineering)
recently created an endowed
scholarship in his own name
to support students who
show academic promise in
electrical engineering. Jack is
the executive vice president
and chief technology officer
for Level 3 Communications,
Inc., a Denver-based provider
of a range of integrated
communications services.
“We are very proud of Jack’s
accomplishments in industry.
This scholarship exemplifies
his continued support for our
students and the
department,” said Brian
Woerner, chair of the Lane
Department of Computer
Science and Electrical
Engineering. In 2006, he was
inducted into the WVU
Distinguished Alumni
Academy of the Lane
Department, and he is a
member of the College
Advisory Committee.
Helen Hope Sauerwein
Wilson, BS ’47 (Civil
Engineering) was recently
honored by the Helen Hope
Sauerwein Wilson
Engineering Scholarship,
established by her daughter,
Karen Wiese, and son-in-law,
Tom Wiese, and her son,
Steve Wilson. The
scholarship will be awarded
to exemplary students in civil
engineering. Helen was the
first female graduate from the
WVU civil engineering
program, and she was among
the first female engineering
graduates nationwide. “It is a
fitting testimonial to her as a
pioneer in her field that her
son, daughter, and son-in-law
have established this
scholarship in her name,” said
Dean Cilento. While at
WVU, Helen was a member
of the Tau Beta Pi honor
society, though as a woman,
she was not awarded her pin
until many years later.
Scholarship endowments
established through the WVU
Foundation may be named
for the donor or a loved one
and are established through a
minimum contribution of
$25,000 payable over up to
five years. For more
information, contact Bob
Bragg at (304) 293-4821 ext.
2240.
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