The $1.7 million gift from Flip West and the West family is in honor of Gary E. West, who graduated from West Liberty State College and went on to become a successful businessman and pilot.
West Liberty University has received a $1.7 million donation from Flip West and the West family that will establish the Gary E. West Aviation Center on campus, as well as endow a scholarship for students who are studying in the university’s aviation program.
According to an article on West Liberty University’s website, Betsy Delk, who serves as the Executive Director of the WLU Foundation, shared her gratitude for the West family and their continued financial support of the university. Delk is quoted as saying, “Gary West’s success in business was matched by his generosity. Gary and Flip are the most generous benefactors in the history of West Liberty University. Their philanthropy has had a permanent and lasting impact on WLU. This special gift in support of the aviation program honors two of Gary’s passions – West Liberty University and flying.”
The two results of the $1.7 million gift are the establishment of the Gary E. West Aviation Center and the establishment and permanent endowment of the Gary E. West Aviation Scholarship. The aviation center will become the home of the aviation program at West Liberty University and will house flight simulators, classrooms, a student lounge, faculty offices, and technology that will allow West Liberty University students to receive instruction from Marshall University’s Bill Noe Flight School while remaining on West Liberty University’s campus. The scholarship, which is receiving $600,000 from this gift, will first be awarded in the 2025-2026 academic year. It will financially support students who are pursuing an education in the aviation program.
Gary E. West was a 1958 graduate of West Liberty State College. Throughout his career, Gary worked with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and purchased Valley Welding Supply Company in Wheeling, West Virginia, which he eventually grew into the largest medical gas and welding supply company in the country. Gary first obtained his pilot license in 1982 and often flew between his and Flip’s two homes in Florida and West Virginia. He owned both a plane and a helicopter.
Dr. Tim Borchers, the president of West Liberty University, shared his thoughts about the donation, saying, “This remarkable gift from Flip West and the West family represents a tremendous investment in our students, our institution, and our region. We are deeply grateful for the continued support of the West family, and we are honored to name this new aviation center in memory of Gary E. West, a beloved alumnus and visionary supporter of West Liberty University.”
For more information about West Liberty University, visit the school’s website.