Fifteen of West Virginia’s top high school seniors were recently offered Bucklew Scholarships to attend West Virginia University next fall.

Bucklew Scholarships, valued at more than $20,000, provide students with $4,500 toward educational costs per year for four years, plus a book stipend each year. The awards are named for former WVU President Neil S. Bucklew, who established the WVU Scholars Program during his tenure as the Universitys 20th president.

The scholarships are supported, in part, by the WVU Foundation Inc. and are part of the Universitys comprehensive awards program. Since 1987, the Scholars Program has committed more than $30 million in scholarships ranging from one-time $1,000 awards to full, four-year awards valued at more than $45,000.

These 15 students will now compete for WVU s top academic award, the Foundation Scholarship, which will be announced in May at the state Capitol in Charleston. Each year, five Foundation Scholarships are awarded solely to West Virginia resident students.

In addition, three students will be offered the WVU Alumni Associations Loyalty Permanent Endowment Fund (LPEF) Scholarship �€also valued at $45,000 over four years.

The following four men and 11 women, representing nine different West Virginia counties, are among the 2001 Class of Bucklew Scholars: Akshar Abbott , Morgantown High School, Morgantown, Monongalia County; Zoya Arora , Morgantown High School, Morgantown, Monongalia County ; Heather Burford , Herbert Hoover High School, Elkview, Kanawha County; Keri Del Signore , Fairmont Senior High School, Fairmont, Marion County; Cathy Goffreda , Roane County High School, Spencer, Roane County; Maria Grindo , Braxton County High School, Sutton, Braxton County; Lauren Hackney , Christiansburg High School, Morgantown, Monongalia County; Will Kirkland , Parkersburg High School, Vienna, Wood County; Erin Lawrence , Keyser High School, Keyser, Mineral County; Erik Peterson, Winfield High School, Scott Depot, Putnam County; Jackie Reimann , East Fairmont High School, Fairmont, Marion County; David Sella , The Linsly School, Wheeling, Ohio County; Nishani Siriwardane , Morgantown High School, Morgantown, Monongalia County; Rachel Wiechman , Wheeling Park High School, Wheeling, Ohio County; Anna Zaniewski , University High School, Morgantown, Monongalia County.