WVSH Foundation

The West Virginia Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation was established in 2005. The initial and continued purpose of this corporation is to raise money to provide scholarships for deserving students to pursue their studies at the graduate level in the field of Speech, Language, Hearing and/or Audiology at Marshall University and West Virginia University.

In 2005 the Foundation began awarding multiple scholarships to both universities and has continued to award the scholarships each year since. The Foundation Board voted unanimously in 2025 to invite graduate students from West Liberty University to apply for the scholarship, in addition to students from WVU and Marshall University.

The scholarships were renamed The Kenneth Gist Memorial Scholarships in memory of Ken Gist who was the driving force in establishing the Foundation.

In 2008 a third scholarship was awarded in the memory of Paula Kirkwood who died tragically in a car accident. This scholarship was funded through colleagues and the Kirkwood family. This scholarship is awarded to a graduate student at West Virginia University majoring in Speech Language Pathology and utilizes the WVSH Foundation applications for this scholarship.

Applications are accepted from January 1 through March 1 each year. Students will be provided the application from their respective department chair. Students are required to submit one letter of recommendation written by a faculty member.

One student from each university will be selected and notified prior to the state conference. The financial award will be present at the Award Ceremony and WVSHA Business Meeting. If you have questions, contact Pam Holland, holland@marshall.edu

WVSH Board of Directors

Board of Trustees

Your Help Is Needed!
Please continue to support the Foundation with your tax deductible contributions.  Make your check payable to WVSH Foundation and mail to:

WVSH Foundation
50 Wisconsin Ave,
Westover, WV 26501