A more than $2 million gift to West Virginia University from a dedicated alumni couple is expanding education, health and well-being resources to aid student-athletes, medical students, Mountain State families and more.
Wheeling natives David and Dr. Jo Ann Goldbaugh Shaw have built a legacy of innovation, education and transformation at WVU through charitable giving. Their latest contribution benefits WVU Athletics, the WVU School of Medicine, the David and Jo Ann Shaw Center for Simulation Training and Education for Patient Safety (STEPS), and WVU Medicine Children’s.
“We are fortunate to contribute to WVU focusing on health, nutrition and the overall well-being of all athletes at the University,” the Shaws said. “We have been overwhelmed by the impact our medical scholarship and simulation support has had on health sciences students and the state and we can’t wait to see how WVU will use these new programs to strengthen and support our student athletes.”
The WVU Athletics portion of the gift establishes the Shaw Student-Athlete Enrichment Fund for Nutrition and Mental Health Services. The fund provides nutrition education and support for student-athletes, as well as counseling and mental health services to help them deal with the unique challenges of collegiate competition.
The fund complements a recent $1.6 million gift from John and Elaine Chambers and other efforts to ensure WVU student-athletes are prepared to excel once their college sports career is over.
“I cannot thank the Shaws enough for recognizing and understanding the importance of student-athlete well-being,” Shane Lyons, director of athletics, said. “The nutritional needs of our student-athletes are vital to a healthy and successful collegiate experience and I cannot place enough emphasis on our mental health services. Thankfully, the Shaws’ gift will ensure that our student-athletes benefit from these two important services.”
The Shaws’ gift also reflects their commitment to health care education as former health professionals. David graduated from the WVU School of Pharmacy in 1986 and worked as a pharmacist, retiring from Kroger. Jo Ann earned her medical degree from WVU in 1986 and specialized in pathology. She worked in private practice before retiring in 2010.
A portion of their gift bolsters the Jo Ann Goldbaugh Shaw, M.D., Medical Scholarship, which supports four M.D. students from West Virginia – including one in each year of medical school – annually. Over more than a decade, the scholarship has provided support for 11 future doctors specializing in pediatrics, psychiatry, anesthesiology and more.
Their gift also provides continued support for the Shaw STEPS Center, which has transformed health sciences education at WVU through experiential learning. The additional dollars will boost robotics resources and cross-disciplinary collaboration to ensure graduates are prepared to meet the latest demands of a career in health care.
“Thanks to the Shaws for their generous support that allows our medical students to pursue greater opportunities and benefits our entire Health Sciences community by enhancing cutting-edge training in our STEPS Center,” Dr. Clay Marsh, chancellor and executive dean for WVU Health Sciences, said.
The Shaws’ gift also supports two ultrasound rooms at the new WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital. Slated for completion this fall, the nine-story, 150-bed facility is under construction next to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital on WVU Medicine’s main campus in Morgantown.
The Shaws’ gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
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