West Virginia University graduate James “Jim” Heavner has pledged $100,000 to his alma mater establishing a scholarship for undergraduate students from Braxton County.

The Jeanie and James Heavner Endowed Scholarship will be available for students attending WVU who are graduates of Braxton County High School.

Heavner’s donation to the WVU Foundation was a hybrid gift consisting of the endowed scholarship and a charitable remainder unitrust. The remainder unitrust is an income-producing gift that, over time, will grow larger.

After graduating from WVU in 1955 with a degree in aerospace engineering, Heavner, of Burnsville, went on to a very successful engineering career with the U.S. Air Force as a civil service engineer spanning more than 30 years.

Stationed at the former McClellan Air Force Base, Heavner worked with logistics and maintenance of military aircraft, equipment and supplies. McClellan Air Force Base is now the home of the Aerospace Museum of California.

“For years, I knew I wanted to do this for upcoming West Virginia students and for the University,” said Heavner. “I finally had the opportunity.”

To qualify for the Jeanie and James Heavner Endowed Scholarship, recipients must be graduates from Braxton County High School and in good standing. Awardees 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 $1 billion fundraising effort by the WVU Foundation on behalf of the University runs through December 2017.

-WVUF-

es/12/01/14

CONTACT: Bill Nevin, WVU Foundation
304-284-4056; wnevin@wvuf.org

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