The Joseph P. McMurran Society Welcomes New Members for 2025

The Shepherd University Foundation was thrilled to welcome six new Joseph P. McMurran Society members this year. New Society members included Rebecca ’78 and Burton, Ph.D. Lidgerding, James Barry Hall ’57, Alfred L. Young, Jr. ’89, and William ’85 and Rebecca Fritts.

Learn more about the new McMurran Society members below.

Rebecca ’78 and Burton, Ph.D. Lidgerding  

Rebecca and Burt Lidgerding both have strong ties to Shepherd. They are members of the Shepherd University Gridiron Club and Friends of Music. Rebecca is a Shepherdstown native and a member of WISH. She graduated with Shepherd’s Class of 1978 where she earned a B.S. in Medical Technology and participated as a flutist in the Ram Band and Wind Symphony. She is retired from the federal government, working 32 years with the Department of Veterans Affairs in the medical laboratory. She also taught medical lab hematology at Blue Ridge Community and technical college. She has established the deferred Rebecca Mason Lidgerding Scholarship Endowment Fund which will support scholarship awards for both music and biology.

Burt is from Minnesota and is Professor emeritus at Shepherd and former Dean of the School of Natural Science, Mathematics, and Engineering. He worked as a scientist for two federal government institutions for 14 years prior to employment at Shepherd. He has established two deferred awards: the Burt Lidgerding Scholarship for Biology Endowment and the Burt Lidgerding Faculty Excellence for Biology Endowment.

Burt and Becky were inducted at the Joseph P. McMurran Society and President’s Award Dinner Reception on April 26th, 2025.

James Barry Hall ’57 

James Barry Hall is a member of Shepherd’s Class of 1957 where he majored in business administration and minored in physical education. During his time at Shepherd, Barry was a two sport athlete, playing both football and baseball from 1953-1957. His successful athletic career included membership on the 1955 undefeated Shepherd football team and he was inducted into the Shepherd Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. Barry has established two scholarships at Shepherd: the James Barry “Huntz” Hall Baseball Scholarship and the Barry “Huntz” Hall Football Annual Scholarship.

Alfred L. Young, Jr. ’89 

Al Young graduated from Shepherd with the Class of 1989 where he earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management. He then went on to enjoy a successful career in the hospitality industry. Al helped lead the former LaSalle Hotel Properties in Washington D.C., facilitating the sale of the company in 2018. After the sale of LaSalle, Al started a hotel investment and advisory firm called Badlands Hotel Capital.  He has served on the Shepherd University Alumni Association Board of Directors and is a current member of the Shepherd University Foundation Board of Directors. He has established the Alfred L. Young, Jr. Scholarship in support of business majors at Shepherd University.

William ’85 & Rebecca Fritts

(bio coming soon)

To learn more about the Joseph P. McMurran Society, visit https://shepherduniversityfoundation.org/mcmurransociety/.