CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The radio “dean” of West Virginia broadcasters has a new endowed scholarship in his name.
On Monday, West Virginia Radio Corporation announced the establishment of the The Hoppy Kercheval Endowed Scholarship.
The scholarship recognizes Kercheval’s 40 years at the company and his success hosting the statewide radio show MetroNews “Talkline.”
Any graduate of Jefferson High School in Jefferson County, planning to attend West Virginia University, will be eligible.
“I wanted to use this scholarship to help a student from Jefferson County, my home county, who had gone to Jefferson High School, who wants to go to WVU and study whatever he or she wants to study,” Kercheval said on air.
Kercheval grew up in Jefferson County and graduated from Jefferson High before attending WVU where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degree.
The scholarship, Kercheval said, is not just for journalism students. It’s for students in any major.
“I want them to study whatever they want to study because one of the great benefits in my life was my parents were very supportive of me to come to WVU and to study what I wanted to study,” he said.
Kercheval said he owes a lot to both Jefferson High and WVU.
“I would not have had the life that I have had, had it not been for the education I received at Jefferson High School, and the teachers there, my family — very supportive — and of course WVU,” he said.
Dale Miller, president and CEO of West Virginia Radio Corporation, said in a new release:
“Of all the incredible accomplishments in his professional life, I can say with certainty that Hoppy’s personal pride comes from his long association with West Virginia University. It’s a reflection of that love for his alma mater that that we established a scholarship in his name.”
Recipients will be selected based on financial need and GPA.
Kercheval joined West Virginia Radio Corporation in 1976.
Last year, he was inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
The gift establishing the scholarship was made in conjunction with A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The campaign runs through Dec. 2017.