While the Foundation administers certain aspects of the privately funded scholarships, it does not award them. To learn more about the scholarship award process, please contact the Shepherd Financial Aid Office at [email protected] (Include student ID and name).
Search Named Funds
Encova Scholarship
In December 2015, the BrickStreet Foundation made a generous and transformational gift of $500,000 to endow the BrickStreet Scholars scholarship program (now the Encova Scholarship) through the Shepherd University Foundation. Since 2005, Encova (formerly BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Company) has been assisting West Virginia workers and employers by improving the medical and compensation benefits for workers who are injured on the job while reducing costs for employers. The Encova Scholarship will provide ten scholarships each year into perpetuity. Some of the awards are designated for the children or grandchildren of workers who have experienced work related injury or death, while others are designated for students whose parents or grandparents are Encova employees. Half of the scholarships will be awarded as general scholarships based on financial need and grades. If no students meet the Encova family relationship criteria, awards roll over to the general scholarship category, with special preference will be given to students majoring in math, nursing or education. Encova facilitates the award selection process through a scholarship committee made up of Encova employees and Shepherd University representatives.
Erma Ora Byrd Memorial Scholarship
The Erma Ora Byrd Memorial Scholarship is designated for students majoring in nursing. This endowed fund was established by PrimeCare Medical, Inc. in 2007 to honor the memory of Senator Robert Byrd's wife on the occasion of the dedication of the new nursing facility at Shepherd.
Ernest Houser, Jr. and Gladys V. Houser, R. N. Scholarship
The Ernest Houser, Jr. and Gladys V. Houser, R.N. Scholarship is designated for WV residents majoring in nursing. This endowment was established by the couple to show their support for Shepherd University. Gladys was a nurse at Charles Town General Hospital for 45 years and helped establish the first intensive care unit at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.
Eta Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Scholarship
The Eta Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Scholarship is designated for female education majors in their junior or senior year. This annually funded scholarship, awarded every other year on even years, was established in 2010 by Delta Kappa Gamma, Eta Chapter alumni members. DKG is an international society for women educators.
Eugene and Christine Lugat Defensive Player Football Scholarship
The Eugene and Christine Lugat Defensive Player Football Scholarship is designated for defensive players on the Shepherd University football team. This annually funded award was established by Eugene ’83 and Christine Lugat in 2013 with a firm belief that the focus and appeal of Division II football lies with the student athlete. Gene was a defensive lineman on Shepherd's 1982 and 1983 football teams.
Evelyn Miller Scholarship
The Evelyn Miller Memorial Scholarship is designated as a general academic award for students who display leadership skills and who actively participate in Shepherd's Multicultural Leadership Program, including the multicultural recruitment of minority students. This annually funded award was established in 2003 by Stan Jones in honor of his mother-in-law, Evelyn Miller.
Evelyne and Maurice Viener Scholarship
The Evelyne and Maurice Viener Scholarship is designated as a general academic award, with first preference given to students from Jefferson County, WV, displaying financial need, academic honors, and a desire to learn. This endowment was created in 1986 by Mr. and Mrs. Viener.
Everhart-Dersam-Unseld Scholarship
The Everhart- Dersam-Unseld Scholarship is designated for elementary education majors. This endowment was created to honor the family's legacy at Shepherd.
Files-Lowman Scholarship
The Files-Lowman Scholarship is designated for junior or senior female students pursuing a major or minor in Biology (first preference), Chemistry, or Physics. This annually funded award was established in 2019 by Melanie Files '70 and her husband, Rick Lowman. Melanie is a retired 9th grade science teacher from Morgan County Public Schools. She earned her B.A. in Biology from Shepherd College in December 1969. She and Rick are each master gardeners, composters, and naturalists. The Files-Lowman Scholarship recipient is selected annually by Dr. Laura Robertson, assistant professor of Biology at Shepherd University. Melanie met Dr. Robertson through a master naturalist class, where the two women discussed the growing number of Shepherd students who demonstrate financial need. Melanie said of her decision to create the Files-Lowman Scholarship, "My inspiration came from talking to Laura and thinking we need to help women in science."
Florence and Velma Shaw Memorial Scholarship
The Florence and Velma Shaw Memorial Scholarship is designated as a general academic award for an outstanding junior resident assistant selected by student affairs. This endowed fund was established through a bequest by Florence Shaw to honor both her and her sister's service to Shepherd.