Bluefield University has received nearly $540,000 to create the Donald B. Wanda O’Shinski Moore Scholarship Fund, one of the university’s largest endowed scholarship funds to date.
This is the first portion of a gift left to the university through the estate of Mrs. Wanda O’Shinski Moore, with additional funding anticipated as the estate is settled. Income generated by the endowed scholarship fund will provide financial assistance to deserving students pursuing degrees at Bluefield University, helping future generations prepare to serve Christ in their career fields and communities.
“This endowed scholarship reflects the Moores’ belief in the mission of Bluefield University and their desire to help future generations pursue lives of purpose and service,” said Dr. Steve Peterson, President of Bluefield University. “Their generosity will open doors for students and continue their legacy of helping others succeed.”
Mrs. Moore graduated from Bluefield College in 1944 and maintained a lifelong connection to the Bluefield region. In 2012, she informed Bluefield University of her plans to include the institution in her estate planning and her desire to create the scholarship endowment.
A native of Killarney, West Virginia, Mrs. Moore spent many years serving the Bluefield community. She taught at Bluefield High School before serving as an associate professor, Dean of Women, and director of the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program at Bluefield State College. Additionally, she was active in several of the area’s community organizations, including the American Red Cross, United Way, Quota, and the Mercer County Center of Economic Action. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Bluefield, Virginia, where she served on the administrative board.
The scholarship fund also honors her late husband, Donald Blair Moore, who graduated from Bluefield College in 1956. A native of Bluefield, Virginia, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War before returning to the area to work as an office project manager and a technical civil engineer with the West Virginia Department of Highways.
“The Donald B. Wanda O’Shinski Moore Scholarship Fund will have a lasting impact on students long into the future,” said Bryan Worrall, the Vice President for Advancement at Bluefield University. “We are deeply grateful for the Moores’ investment in Bluefield and our students.”