The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University has received a gift from Frank Anthony Furfari and members of his family to establish an endowed fund named for his parents, The Domenick and Josephine Furfari Endowment for Italian Studies.

The endowment is administered by the WVU Foundation, Inc. The donors are especially interested in supporting Italian Studies students who participate in study abroad programs in Italy. WVU offers a minor in Italian Studies to supplement the major course of study.

Preference will be given to students who are majoring in engineering, journalism, education and arts and sciences.

Funds will be awarded in the names of Domenick and Josephine Furfari, immigrants from southern Italy who raised eight children and encouraged each to secure a college education and become part of the American dream. Of their eight children, six earned degrees at WVU .

The fund is being established principally by their oldest son, Frank”Tony”Furfari, as a salute to his parents’hard work, determination and wisdom.

Frank Furfari is a 1938 graduate of WVU ’s electrical engineering program who had a distinguished career as a professional engineer. He was active in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and was elected a Fellow of the Institute in 1980.

Furfari was also selected as a member of the Distinguished Alumni Academy of the Lane Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in WVU ’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

We are deeply grateful to Mr. Furfari for his generosity,said Dr. Rudolph P. Almasy, associate dean for development of the Eberly College.The Italian Studies Program will be strengthened significantly by this gift, which is a fitting way to honor extraordinary parents.

The WVU Foundation, Inc., is a private, non-profit organization which develops, receives and administers private gifts from individuals and organizations for the benefit of West Virginia University.