A Roane County-based business established in 1907 and spanning four generations has donated a student study center at the College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University. Again.

The donation by Hardman Supply Company has established the Charles and Mary Hardman Student Study Center Renovation Fund by the four children of the couple. Funding will create multiple high-tech study areas in the second floor atrium at B&E that include computers and video screens for individual students or group study projects.

The gift represents a renovation of the student study area made possible through a previous gift by the Hardman family in 1998. In total, five members of the Hardman family over three generations have graduated from the WVU College of Business and Economics.

“Education was so very important to our parents, and we feel this is a great way for us to make a difference at the WVU College of Business and Economics, which is so near and dear to this family,” said Fred C. Hardman, Chairman of Hardman Supply Company. “Our family gave a gift that created the student study center at B&E, so when the capital campaign occurred it only made sense to us to renovate the center and update it for today’s students.”

The gift will be completed by the four Hardman children and their spouses: Stan and Donna Hardman; Fred and Martha Hardman; Tom and Susan Hardman; and Sarah (Hardman) and Nick Giachino. Charles and Mary Hardman, 1942 graduates of WVU, both died in 2011.

“This is the third major gift donated by the Hardman family,” said Jose ‘Zito’ Sartarelli, B&E Milan Puskar Dean. “The student study center is used by countless B&E students and is a wonderful resource for individual students or groups. The creation of multiple student study ‘pods’ and addition of updated technology on the second floor atrium is a tremendous benefit for our students, and is greatly appreciated by the College.”

The contribution was made in conjunction with A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The $750 million comprehensive campaign being conducted by the WVU Foundation on behalf of the University runs through December 2015.

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CONTACT: Patrick Gregg, WVU College of Business and Economics
304.293.5131, Patrick.Gregg@mail.wvu.edu

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