West Liberty University nursing student Brianna Nichols, center, receives the first Don L. Seamon Memorial Scholarship from Sam Seamon as WLU Nursing Program Director Donna J. Lukich looks on.

The Seamon family of Moundsville includes many nurses, so when Sam Seamon was considering how to create a tribute to his late father Don L. Seamon, the creation of a scholarship for the education of aspiring nurses was an obvious choice.

“Nursing was a large part of our family’s life,” he explained. His mother, sisters and sisters-in-law are nurses. “Two of my sisters earned their nursing degrees at West Liberty,” he added.

Seamon was on the West Liberty University campus recently to award the first Don L. Seamon Memorial Scholarship to senior nursing student Brianna Nichols of Follansbee. The $1,000 scholarship represented proceeds of a golf tournament held last spring at Moundsville Country Club.

“We’ve gotten a lot of support in the Marshall County area from business owners and local politicians for our annual golf tournament,” Seamon explained. “When they learned the proceeds were to be used for education, they were glad to contribute.”

Nichols said, “I was so excited to learn that I was receiving the scholarship. It will be such a big help.” After graduation from WLU, she said, she plans to earn a masters degree and become a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Next year, Seamon said, scholarships will be given not only to a WLU student but to area high school graduates committed to entering the nursing field.

WLU Nursing Program Director Donna J. Lukich added that she appreciates the support the Seamon family has shown for nursing education at WLU. The WLU Foundation administers the Seamon scholarship.