Through a contribution to the West Virginia University Foundation, Christine and William H. McCartney, Jr. Of Houston, Texas, have created an endowment for students in WVU ’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

The Christine and William McCartney Student Enrichment Fund has been established as part of the Eberly College’s Centennial Academic Enrichment Program, which was inaugurated as part of the college’s centennial celebration in 1995-1996. This enrichment program is administered through the Eberly College’s Office of the Dean.

The McCartney Fund will be used to benefit arts and sciences students who seek to pursue academic opportunities beyond the classroom. Preference will be given to students majoring in political science. Upon written application and faculty sponsorship, students receive awards to enhance their academic experience by participating in educational activities that complement, broaden and enrich their time at WVU .

The Centennial Academic Enrichment Program is unique to the Eberly College and supports nearly 150 undergraduates annually.

Living so far away from West Virginia, we have a deeper appreciation for everything WVU has provided for us,said the couple.Our experience at WVU has been instrumental in shaping our lives and helping us accomplish our goals. For these reasons we felt it was important to give back to West Virginia University. In addition to the excellent classroom environment, we believe that WVU offers an opportunity for all students to utilize and expand their skills by gaining unique real world experiences. Our gift was donated to the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences to help ensure that students who excel in the classroom are given that opportunity to excel in the real world as well.”

Christine Mullett McCartney added,”The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences provided me with a wonderful well-rounded education and we wanted to help make sure that this tradition continues.”

A native of Huntington, Mullett McCartney graduated in 1996 from the Eberly College with a major in liberal arts and a concentration in political science. She will be finishing the MBA program at Rice University this May.

William McCartney is a native of Bridgeport and is a 1995 graduate of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources with a major in chemical engineering. He is employed at Vitol S.A., Inc., where he leads the natural gas physical trading group for the United States.

The McCartneys also made a contribution to the Galli Laboratory in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

The commitments from the McCartneys were made in conjunction with the WVU Foundation’s recently concluded Building Greatness Campaign , which generated more than $300 million for the benefit of the University. The WVU Foundation is a private non-profit corporation that generates and provides support for West Virginia University.