Land at the corner of Beechurst and University avenues will be used to create a gateway to West Virginia Universitys Downtown Campus thanks to a gift from Al and Dee Ware.

“The Jamison and Ware families have been owners of this property for almost a half centuryBeulah Jamison Walker, Margaret Jamison Prager, Lucile Jamison Madeira and Dolores Jamison Ware,said the Wares.Allalong with their husbandswere graduates of West Virginia University and it seems only fitting that we, as a family, gift this choice location to our alma mater as the `Welcoming Gatewayto the historic WVU Downtown Campus.

Preparations for the gateway are in the early planning stage, University officials say.

A gift such as the Waresand the opportunity that it affords West Virginia University to present a formal entry into the Downtown Campusis immeasurable in attracting the best and brightest students, faculty and staff to the University,said Gerald Lang, provost and vice president for academic affairs.It also provides an opportunity for an attractive entranceway to campus for out-of-town visitors. We are very pleased and excited to receive this piece of property.

The Wares are WVU School of Physical Education graduates. Al received his bachelor of science in physical education in 1950 and his master of arts in speech/communications in 1952. Dee earned her bachelor of science in physical education in 1952.

The Wares have supported the University for many years and are members of the Woodburn Circle Society, the WVU Foundations most prestigious giving society. Al Ware has been inducted into the Order of Vandalia and the WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni. Both are in the School of Physical Education Hall of Fame.

Among their many gifts are four new scholarship endowments for students to attend WVU . The two Ware Presidential Scholarships include one each for students from Greenbrier and Monongalia counties. He is from Rupert, Greenbrier County, while she hails from Morgantown. The scholarships are available to graduates of Greenbrier West High School, with first preference going to students from Rupert and Morgantown High. The other two are Ware Mens Basketball Scholarships.

They and the Ware Family Foundation also created the Ware Distinguished Professorship, the first such professorship in the School of Physical Education. Dr. Linda Carson, director of the WV Motor Development Center, is serving as the Ware Professor.

Retired chairman of Amherst FiberOpticsAmherst International, Inc., Al Ware is a former member of the WVU Foundations Building Greatness National Campaign Committee and the WVU Alumni Associations Board of Directors. Dee Ware chairs the Blaney House Visiting Committee and has been both a leader and benefactor in the development of WVU s Stansbury Hall Fitness/Wellness Center. They have served on the School of Physical Education Visiting Committee as well.

The couple has two grown sons and nine grandchildren and has residences in Nokomis, Fla.; Franklin, Tenn., and Morgantown.

The gift was made to the WVU Foundation, a private non-profit corporation that generates and provides support for West Virginia University.