YCF Awards Over $300,000 in Scholarships for 2025-26 Academic Year

June 5, 2025

Morgantown, WV – Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc. (YCF) is pleased to announce 109 scholarships totaling $303,000 have been awarded for the 2025-26 academic year. Applications were evaluated by scholarship committees with over 120 volunteers from across North Central West Virginia.

YCF currently manages over 40 scholarship funds. New scholarship endowments may be established with a minimum donation of $20,000, which donors may pledge over three years. The principal is invested, and the earnings provide scholarship dollars – forever. Donors may suggest award criteria and choose a name for the fund. Scholarship endowments are often named in honor or memory of a loved one.

The following scholarships made inaugural awards this year:

  • Barbara Ann Kercheval Scholarship provides awards to graduating seniors from Preston High School pursuing postsecondary education at a vocational school or community college. The inaugural recipients are Marcus Elliott and Brooke Snyder.
  • Jarrett E. Loar Scholarship provides an award to a graduate of Clay-Battelle High School, Morgantown High School, or University High School in Monongalia County. The recipient must enroll as a full-time student at West Virginia University, pursuing a degree in engineering. Additionally, students must reside in Monongalia County and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.  The inaugural recipient is Belicia McKendall.
  • West Virginia Black Heritage/Kelly Miller Scholarship provides two annual awards to graduating seniors of African American descent residing in West Virginia. Recipients must be pursuing post-secondary education (four year or vocational/technical/community college) and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Preference is given to those with demonstrated financial need. Additionally, preference will also be for one male and one female recipient. The inaugural recipients are Nyssa Baker and Demarcus Bandy.

“We are grateful for the generosity of our donors, and the commitment of our scholarship committee volunteers who donate their time to review applications and recommend scholarship recipients,” said YCF President Patty Showers Ryan. “Their thoughtful contribution makes higher education more accessible to students in our community.”

The following are YCF’s new scholarship recipients for the 2025-26 academic year:

Angela Scotchel Memorial Basketball ScholarshipHannah Stemple, University High School

Angela Shahan Memorial ScholarshipKenzie Clark, Preston High School

Barbara Ann Kercheval ScholarshipMarcus Elliott, Preston High School; Brooke Snyder, Preston High School

Bobby Lee Secret Memorial ScholarshipJack Gould, Bridgeport High School

Brandi Kay Bowen ScholarshipCatherine Cottrill, Doddridge County High School; Cassidy Cumberledge, Doddridge County High School

Catherine Flynn Morrison Memorial ScholarshipAddison Sturm, Robert C. Byrd High School

Charlotte and Mary Gail Koen ScholarshipKenzie Ammons, North Marion High School; Kayleigh Zemerick, North Marion High School

Demetry Walker Memorial ScholarshipFaizal Oyesiga, Laurel College of Technology

Dorothy, Lewis, Anthony, and Hilde Betonte ScholarshipReese Simon, Fairmont State University

Dr. Leo Kotchek Memorial ScholarshipKenzie Clark, Preston High School

Dr. William E. Phillips, Jr. Leadership Marion Scholarship Kayleigh Zemerick, North Marion High School

Erin Marie Keener Nursing ScholarshipBella Bock, West Virginia University

Ernest Daniel Conaway, Raymond Guy Baker, and Everett Reece Baker Memorial Scholarship Hayley Harman, West Virginia University; Abigale Stewart, Bridgeport High School

Flora O. Corpening ScholarshipLaurianna SanJulian, Bridgeport High School; Chloe Sizemore, Bridgeport High School

Frances Scarcelli Tyler ScholarshipMolly Korn, Notre Dame High School

George E. and Joanne R. Davis Memorial ScholarshipGabriel Watson, Morgantown High School; Kayleigh Zemerick, North Marion High School

J. Cecil Jarvis Memorial ScholarshipLogan Peck, West Virginia University

Jacob David Bower “Bower Power” Memorial ScholarshipAdriana Bond, East Fairmont High School; Kayleigh Zemerick, North Marion High School

James A. Womeldorff Vocational Development ScholarshipBryar Huff, West Virginia University

Jean and Laurence S. DeLynn ScholarshipDemarcus Bandy, Morgantown High School; Jacob Eddy, Fairmont Senior High School; Zachary Gyorko, Mapletown Junior/Senior High School; Maggie Jordan, Lewis County High School; Meredith Odell, North Marion High School; Dylan Puderbaugh, Morgantown High School; Lauren Rossi, Washington High School; Hannah Zuchowski, Preston High School

Jim Dunn Memorial ScholarshipCatherine Cottrill, Doddridge County High School; Samantha Shreve, Buckhannon-Upshur High School; Hallie Simmons, Preston High School

John C. and Joann T. Wills Music Educators ScholarshipEmily Bucklew, West Virginia University

Joycelyn A. and Robert A. Ayersman Sr. Memorial ScholarshipZoey DeBerry, Preston High School

KHS Class of ’59 ScholarshipAnnalyse White, Preston High School

Lillian A. Devison ScholarshipJoshua Peterson, West Virginia University

Margaret L. Spencer Health Career Education ScholarshipJames Gantle, Mapletown Junior/Senior High School

Matthew “Biggie” Wolfe Memorial ScholarshipDaya Dolinar, University High School; Meghan Knisely, University High School

Micah Wilson Memorial Scholarship Sabrina Cottrell, University High School

Mountain Loggers Group, Inc. ScholarshipAbigail Messenger, East Fairmont High School

Nathan Cunningham Memorial ScholarshipCassidy Cumberledge, Doddridge County High School

North Elementary ScholarshipMethag Abdalla, Morgantown High School

PFC Andrew Martin “Bo” Harper Memorial ScholarshipEden Ashcraft, Lincoln High School; Sabrina Cottrell, University High School

Roy and Frances Valentine Family ScholarshipBryer Mallow, Elkins High School

Rusty Mazzie and Seth Nicholson Memorial ScholarshipDominick Bombardiere, Notre Dame High School

Sam McLaughlin Scholarship for the ArtsLillian Tomana, Fairmont Senior High School

Seth Burton Memorial ScholarshipLillian Tomana, Fairmont Senior High School

Soundra K. Poling – Brookhaven Elementary ScholarshipTyler Travis, Morgantown High School

West Virginia Black Heritage/Kelly Miller ScholarshipNyssa Baker, Morgantown High School; Demarcus Bandy, Morgantown High School

William Charles Davis and Dorcas Regina Davis Educational ScholarshipBrea Presley, Fairmont State University

William “Will” Charleton Bridges Scholarship William Jones, Fairmont Senior High School

Woodrow W. Woods ScholarshipCheyenne Batton, Fairmont State University; Nevaeh Brinkley, Bridgeport High School; Bryar Huff, West Virginia University; Molly Korn, Notre Dame High School; Keilana Kriner, Robert C. Byrd High School; Cameron Martin, Bridgeport High School; Cianna McKenna, Robert C. Byrd High School; Audrie Minigh, Fairmont State University; Logan Peck, West Virginia University; Dominick Robinson, Bridgeport High School; Laurianna SanJulian, Bridgeport High School; Anjellica Scott, Concord University; Sarah Sellers, West Virginia University; Ryan Shriver, Robert C. Byrd High School; Chloe Sizemore, Bridgeport High School

YCF is a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of North Central West Virginia to manage multi-generational endowments. YCF enables local people with philanthropic interests to easily and effectively support the issues they care about.

For more information, visit www.ycfwv.org or call 304-296-3433.

Inaugural Barbara Ann Kercheval Scholarship recipients, Brooke Snyder and Marcus Elliott, 2025 graduates of Preston High School, pictured with YCF board member, Kim Dobrzynski.