West Virginia University graduate John Forman has donated $1 million to his alma mater to establish scholarships for undergraduate students from West Virginia enrolled in science, technology, engineering or math programs.
The John A. Forman Endowed Scholarship will be available for in-state students studying in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, and Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
A Clarksburg native, Forman earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from WVU in 1956 and went on to a very successful engineering career that spanned more than 30 years.
Through his gift, Forman hopes West Virginia students will have to the ability to achieve their educational goals.
“My interest in life has always been engineering, and giving back to West Virginia University was the natural thing to do,” he said. “Education is all about combining ambition with ability. It is very important.”
Dan Robison, dean of WVU’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, said the scholarship’s goal aligns perfectly with the college’s mission. “This is the kind of support that will propel West Virginia students to excellence and we are thrilled to help facilitate Mr. Forman’s vision,” Robison said.
Dean Robert Jones of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences agrees.
“The Eberly College is extremely grateful to John Forman for illustrating his confidence in our STEM efforts through this generous gift,” Jones said. “His interest and passion in increasing the number of in-state students entering science, technology, engineering and math fields align with our commitment to give graduates a competitive edge in these fields.”
Over the years, Forman worked as an electrical engineering for several companies including RCA, General Electric, Gould, Inc., and E-Systems. At Gould, once a leading defense contractor that produced the Mark 48 acoustic torpedo for the U.S. Navy, Forman was engaged in reliability enhancement from the piece-part level to failure analysis at the torpedo level.
“I would like to thank Mr. Forman for his generous gift,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “As a native of West Virginia who has achieved great success in his career, he recognizes the importance of a college education. Through this gift, he has now helped to make that attainable to generations of West Virginia students.”
To qualify for the John A. Forman Endowed Scholarship, recipients must be full time-students in good academic standing and demonstrate the need for financial support. Recipients will be determined by the WVU Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Students are eligible for consideration each year provided they still meet selection criteria.
The gift establishing the endowed scholarship was made in conjunction with _A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The $750 million fundraising effort by the WVU Foundation on behalf of the University runs through December 2015.
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CONTACT: Bill Nevin, WVU Foundation
304-284-4056; wnevin@wvuf.org
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