Deadline: April 15
The four-year scholarship is to be awarded to one student and will cover the cost of tuition and fees and housing and food for incoming freshman education majors.
Minimum Requirements for Consideration
- Have a minimum high school grade point average of 3.5.
- Be entering as a full-time freshman with a declared major in education.
- Be West Virginia residents.
- Qualify for financial aid and will be ranked in accordance to the need index established under federal financial aid guidelines.
- Provide letters of recommendation from two high school teachers.
Application Packet
Please complete the electronic application using the “Application Form” link above and be sure to attach all supporting documents/requirements.
Selection of Recipients
The admissions department will identify potential recipients. A selection committee consisting of the Dean of the College of Education and Human Performance and the Director of Admissions will make the final selection. The recipients will be selected during their senior year of high school. If, during any given selection year, there is no student who meets the criteria for selection, the awarding the scholarship shall be deferred to the following academic year.
Maintaining Eligibility
To remain eligible for the scholarship once enrolled at West Liberty University, recipients must:
- Maintain a 3.0 grade point average (evaluated annually).
- Remain in a qualifying major and be enrolled on a full-time basis.
If a student loses eligibility or discontinues attendance at West Liberty University, the scholarship will be re-advertised, and a replacement will be selected from the next incoming freshman class.
Background
Bessie Margaret Anderson was born in Steubenville, Ohio on July 26, 1912 to Hulda Latimer Anderson & Robert Wylie Anderson. She grew up in Follansbee, WV along with a sister Helen, who is seven years younger. Their father was a streetcar conductor.
Bessie graduated from Follansbee High School in 1930 and West Liberty University, which was a Normal school at that time, in 1932. Her first elementary school was in Colliers, WV. She lived at home at that time and since she didn’t have a car or even know how to drive a car, she rode a school bus to school. She taught in Brooke and Hancock counties.
On December 27, 1934 she married James Franklin Miller. Since married women weren’t allowed to teach school at that time, she was permitted to finish to the school year, but couldn’t return the following year. Years later she substituted.
Jim and Bessie had two daughters, Cynthia and Margaret Anne, who both graduated from Weirton High School. Cynthia graduated from Monongalia General Hospital in Morgantown, WV in nursing, Margaret Anne graduated from West Virginia University in secondary education and taught English in Wellsburg High School and then Brooke High School.
Bessie was active in the Cove Presbyterian Church in Weirton. She was also a member of the Wellsburg Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star, Weirton Woman’s Club and Women’s Auxiliary. She had many hobbies, among them was gardening, needlecrafts, cooking and baking and playing bridge – which she did until she couldn’t see the cards anymore.
James died in November of 1987 after being married for over 50 years.
January 1991 she married Malvern Still. They met again at their 60th high school reunion. They dated in high school and college, but then went their separate ways until they met again in the summer of 1990. He was living in Florida, so they divided their time between living in Weirton during the summer and Florida in the winter. Several years ago they permanently moved to Florida to the Waterford, which is a retirement community in Juno Beach, Florida.
Bessie had 3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter, plus one great-granddaughter.
She died April 3, 1999 in a hospice in Juno Beach, Florida at the age of 86.
Funding will be provided through Miller Family Fund held in the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, Inc.