BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Students and faculty at the WVU School of Medicine and the WVU School of Law will both benefit from a $5.2 million donation from the Barbara B. Highland Charitable Trust.
The donation will be divided in half and used to expand and renovate the Law School building, and create an endowed position for the School of Medicine called the Barbara B. Highland Stroke Chair.
Barbara Highland was a native of Clarksburg. She and her husband Cecil believed in the potential of West Virginia, and were philanthropists throughout their lives–and afterwards. Barbara passed away in 2012.
“She really wanted to make a gift that would help the law school,” said Marcia Broughton, one of the four trustees of the Barbara Highland Charitable Trust. “Her husband was an attorney and had taught there at one time. In addition she wanted to do something for the medical school because it is such an integral part of the Central West Virginia area in keeping people here, attracting business to the area, and growing the area.”
President Gordon E. Gee had known the Highland’s for a long time–saying that he wished they could have seen what their generosity was creating.
“Cecil and Barbra were friends of mine 35 years ago,” he said. “This is very special for me–an opportunity to be able to celebrate their generosity. I wish they were here to be able to celebrate with us.”
The WVU Foundation hopes to raise $1 billion through 2017 in hopes of keeping WVU nationally competitive.
“More attractive, more competitive,” said President Gee. “The ability to be able to support great programs, support students and faculty–all the kinds of the things that private donations really make a difference about–is what this donation is going to help with.”
Philanthropy in North Central West Virginia is not new to the Highlands–even in death. Though Cecil Highland passed away in 2002, it was in part thanks to his and Barbara Highland’s lifelong generosity and love of the area that led to the building of the United Hospital Center.
“For here to make a gift to WVU Foundation on behalf of both the Law School and the Hospital is to promote the whole area and make sure that it continues to grow and succeed,” said Broughton, who is also a member of the board with the WVU Foundation.