The West Liberty University (WLU) Foundation’s Topper Day of Giving takes place on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. This annual event, now going into its sixth year, allows generous donors to support the WLU campus and community in a range of ways. Donors can grant out donations to specific academic or athletic programs of their choosing. This year, Roxby Development is sponsoring the event.

Angie-Zambito Hill, the president of the WLU Foundation said, “The great thing about this event is the donor base is extremely diverse. Individual alumni, corporations, parents and relatives of students, staff, faculty and community members all participate.”

Zambito-Hill said the 2021 Topper Day of Giving was their largest year yet with $200,000 in donations received. Altogether, the event had 885 total donors and WLU alumni represented 281 of them. Because this is a virtually based event and “is more focused on participation of many people rather than big gifts from a few donors,” there was an increase in donations in 2020 and 2021.

This year, Zambito-Hill hopes to again raise $200,000 or more. “I would encourage their [donors] participation. Every gift counts and they have the opportunity to designate any athletic program or academic college, so they can really support their area of interest,” said Zambito Hill.
As of March 26, 2022, the total amount of donations sat at $111,757.

The matching donors and colleges/programs that will benefit, according to the WLU Foundation Day of Giving website, include:

Acrobatics and Tumbling: Anissa and Danny Anderson $3,000
Art Therapy: WLU Foundation $1,000
Baseball: John McCullough $500, WLU Foundation $500
Campus Ministry: President W. Franklin Evans $1,000
Center for Arts and Education: WLU Foundation $1,000
College of Education and Human Performance: David Beck $3,000
College of Liberal and Creative Arts: David McMillen, $1,000 Pete Holloway $2,000
College of Sciences: Stephanie Hooper $1,000
Cross Country and Track: Bruce Cox $1,500, John McCullough $1,000
Dental Hygiene: WLU Foundation $1,000
Department of Media of Visual Arts: WLU Foundation $1,000
Elbin Library: Friends of Allan Ramsay $1,500
Football-Bob Roe Scholarship: John McCullough $1,000, Lance LaFollette $1,500
Gary E. West College of Business: Rich Lucas $2,000, Robert Abel $1,500
Graduate Studies: Janet Honecker $5,000
Men’s Basketball: Al Roszczyk $2,500, Pittsburgh Alumni Chapter $3,000
Men’s Golf: Koegler Family $500, WLU Foundation $500
Men’s Soccer: Koegler Family $1,000
Men’s Tennis: President W. Franklin Evans $1,500
Softball-New Facility: Anonymous Donor $10,000
Speech Pathology/Audiology: WLU Foundation $1,000
Student Life-Food Pantry: WLU Foundation $1,000
Theater Program-Stanley Harrison Scholarship: Bill Brenner $10,000
Volleyball: John McCullough $1,000, Kayla & Noah Mull $1,000
Women’s Basketball: Cooper Family $1,000, John McCullough $1,000
Women’s Golf: WLU Foundation $1,000
Women’s Soccer: Eric Irwin $1,000, Koegler Family $1,000
Women’s Tennis: John McCullough $500, WLU Foundation $500
Wrestling: Aaron Conklin $2,000, Anissa & Danny Anderson $3,000, John Craig $1,500

According to Zambito-Hill, “The mission of the WLU Foundation Topper Day of Giving is to raise significant funds in a one day virtual event that has a positive impact on the entire campus community and all WLU students.” Zambito-Hill wants to “thank the entire campus community for their partnership in making the Topper Day of Giving a success.”

To donate, call 304-336-5635 to make a donation over the phone. Checks can be made and mailed to The WLU Foundation, 208 University Dr., CUB 126, West Liberty, WV, 26074. To donate online, visit wlufoundation.org/dayofgiving. For more information regarding the WLU Foundation or their upcoming Topper Day of Giving, contact Zambito-Hill at [email protected].