Foundation announces Widmeyer Scholarship recipients

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – John Beatty, chairman of the WVU Medicine University Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors, recently announced the names of the 2017 Ruth Ann Widmeyer Nursing Scholarship recipients.

Emma Hull, a senior at Musselman High School, and Grace Wiggins, a senior at Spring Mills High School, were selected to receive the $500 scholarship. Hull and Wiggins will both be attending Shepherd University majoring in nursing.

Three re-applicants were also awarded the scholarship for another year. Vanessa Beddow and Peyton Conner are studying nursing at Shepherd University, while Calyssa Vorous is a nursing student at WVU.

Named in memory of Ruth Ann Widmeyer, this scholarship was established by the Widmeyer Family in 2014 to assist area students in pursuing preparation and advancement into the nursing profession.  

A committee comprised of representatives of the Foundation and WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center selects the recipients based on criteria such as academic achievements, character/leadership, community activities, and financial need. 

“Through the generosity of the Widmeyer family, we are able to offer additional financial support to local students pursuing nursing careers,” Teresa McCabe, vice-president of marketing and development, said. “Our hospitals and communities benefit as well if these students return here to work."

In order to be eligible for the Widmeyer scholarship, students must be graduating from a Berkeley County High School and attending a West Virginia college or university. The nursing scholarship awards are $500 per year for a maximum of four years, and the students must reapply each year.