West Chester University’s 36th Annual Presidential Scholarship Community Gala, a benefit designed to fund Presidential Scholarships for WCU students who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence, recently raised more than $140,000.

The total exceeds the highest dollar amount ever raised by the 35-year-old Gala and represents almost 60 percent more than that raised at the black-tie event in 2018.

For the first time in Gala history, an anonymous donor offered a $20,000 match for all funds raised. An additional surprise $20,000 match was announced during the evening’s live auction, given by Brigadier General Richard D. Merion and Jeanette Merion, generous and loyal supporters of the university for more than three decades.

The university hosted this year’s Gala – themed “Barbados: Charting the Course for Student Success” – at Longwood Gardens, a first-time venue for the popular event. More than 350 alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students of the university, including community and corporate partners, were in attendance, as were 2018-19 Presidential Scholarship recipients, first-year students Allison Weissman from Hackettstown, N.J., and Hannah Stevens from Hatfield. First-year student recipient Peter Matuszak accepted the scholarship award prior to the Gala, as he was competing with the WCU men’s golf team at the Oglebay Resort Intercollegiate Tournament.

“When I first arrived at the WCU Foundation seven months ago, we were faced with the opportunity to change the Gala format and location,” said Foundation CEO Christopher Mominey. “We painted a new vision and set new expectations. Now, that vision has become a reality. We are proud to continue partnering with the university to support generations of students.”

WCU President Christopher Fiorentino noted in his opening remarks for the evening that beginning in fall 2020, the university will successfully support seven students annually with renewable $3,000 scholarships. The majority of the recipients are in the STEM, allied health, and professional fields of education, business, and music, and each has received a personal letter from Fiorentino congratulating them on their academic excellence and selection for this prestigious scholarship.

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