The scholarship will provide support to students who are studying in the Gary E. West College of Business at West Liberty University.
The Howard and Theresa Lemasters Endowed Scholarship has been established at West Liberty University. The Lemasters, who both passed away in 2023, were West Liberty University alumni who spent their lives devoted to education. The scholarship was established through a $100,000 bequest and will support students who are studying within the university’s Gary E. West College of Business.
According to an article on West Liberty University’s website, Betsy Delk, who serves as the Executive Director of the West Liberty University Foundation, was quoted as saying of the new scholarship, “This remarkable bequest is a powerful reflection of Howard and Theresa Lemasters’ lifelong commitment to education and community. Through the establishment of this scholarship, their legacy will continue to open doors for students pursuing business degrees, especially those from the communities that meant so much to them. We are deeply grateful for their generosity and for the enduring impact this gift will have on future Hilltoppers.”
Graduates of Barnesville High School and Union Local High School who are pursuing degrees within the Gary E. West College of Business will be eligible to apply for the scholarship. The university will select the recipients of the award and will consider students’ academic promise and their commitment to business studies, with the first award being given for the 2027-2028 school year.
Theresa Lemasters passed away on July 14, 2023. She was a university alumna who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree before going on to complete a Master of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. Howard Lemasters passed away on September 19, 2023. He was also a West Liberty University alumnus, having later earned his M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh. The couple were both educators, with Theresa having taught at Barnesville High School, Belmont College, and Ohio Eastern University, and Howard having taught at Barnesville High School, Belmont Technical College, and Ohio Eastern University.
The Lemasters were members of the President’s Circle and the John P. McCullough Society, and provided financial support to the university for more than 30 years.
For more information about West Liberty University, visit the school’s website.