Anyone who knew Brian Brick, a West Virginia University graduate student who was studying in the MBA degree program, described him as a great guy who was hard-working and had a bright future.
That made the accidental death of the talented 22-year-old in late July all the more painful.
To honor Brick’s memory, his family created an endowed scholarship in his name through the Allinder-Anestis Family Charitable Fund. The Brian Douglas Brick Memorial Scholarship is a $100,000 endowed fund established to provide yearly scholarships to graduate school students in the College of Business and Economics beginning with scholarships for two current MBA students who are part of Brick’s graduate degree cohort.
“Brian was a brilliant young man, whose friendship and smiling face brought joy to so many,” said Brick’s aunt, Jan Allinder Anestis, on the family’s decision to establish this fund. “He worked hard and loved WVU and the MBA program. These scholarships are intended as Brian’s gifts to future MBA scholars, young men and women who, like Brian, approach both education and life with integrity, hard work and a sincere friendship for the people they meet.”
A native of Romney, Brick graduated from Hampshire High School in 2008, and from the WVU College of Business and Economics in May 2012 with an undergraduate degree.
“This accident was very tragic and greatly saddened the College and University communities,” said Dr. Jose Sartarelli, Milan Puskar Dean, WVU College of Business and Economics. “Brian had graduated with honors from B&E in May with an accounting degree and had just entered the MBA program. His family has made this pledge in his name, including two scholarships for fellow students in his MBA class. It’s a fantastic gesture that will have great benefit to both B&E and WVU.”
Those involved want to grow the scholarship fund in Brian Brick’s name. Donations may be made directly to the scholarship fund by contacting Amy Cole in the WVU College of Business and Economics Development Office at Amy.Cole@mail.wvu.edu.
The contribution was made in conjunction with A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The $750 million comprehensive campaign being conducted by the WVU Foundation on behalf of the University runs through December 2015.
For further information on the comprehensive campaign, please visit http://astateofminds.com or http://be.wvu.edu.
