The late Paula Muscatellos greatest joy, after her family, was teaching children with special needs. In memory of his wife who lost her battle with diabetes, Joe Muscatello has established the Paula Jan Barber Muscatello Presidential Scholarship at West Virginia University thanks to tribute gifts in excess of $100,000 from family, friends and her former students across the country.
According to Mr. Muscatello, who resides in Knoxville, Tenn., it took him only three months of phone calls, letters and fundraisers to raise the funds for the scholarship.
It is a testament to Paulas legacy,he said.
During her memorial service in August 2006, Muscatello spoke about seeing his wife pushing a child in a wheelchair, when at times she herself probably should have been in one.
Paula was an amazing person who battled diabetes throughout her life, but her devotion to family, friends and teaching children with special needs is what we will always remember,he said.
A Richwood native, Mrs. Muscatello earned an elementary education degree from WVU in 1978 and taught in Wood and McDowell counties before moving to Knox County, Tenn. From childhood, she struggled with diabetes. Despite this, she continued to teach children with special needs and touched the lives of many.
Mr. Muscatello grew up in Welch and later became city manager after earning two degrees at WVU : a bachelors of science in 1975 from the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences and a masters in public administration in 1976 from the Eberly College of Arts&Sciences.
After his wifes death, he made it his mission to establish an endowed fund at WVU that will support future special education teachers. He and his family wanted to assist future special education teachers who need help getting started at WVU and to support students who are further along in their studies and interning in the schools.
The Muscatello Presidential Scholarship will support students pursuing a degree in special education in WVU s College of Human Resources&Education, who have academic promise and financial need and who are from Nicholas or McDowell counties in West Virginia or are residents of Tennessee.
Students interested in applying for this scholarship for the 2007-08 academic year and who meet the criteria listed above may submit an application to the College of Human Resources&Education by Feb. 1, 2007. For more details about how to apply, visit the Colleges website at www.hre.wvu.edu or call 304-293-5703.
Tax deductible contributions to the Paula Jan Barber Muscatello Presidential Scholarship can be made to the WVU Foundation, P.O. Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507 -1650 or on-line at www.wvuf.org .
The scholarship endowment was created through the WVU Foundation, a private non-profit corporation that generates and provides support for West Virginia University.