We received this great email from former scholarship recipient Jamie Shrewsbury. Jamie was awarded the Martinsburg High Class of ’64 Scholarship and the David “Hawk” Hawkens Scholarship in 2013. This wonderful update makes all the hard work that goes into awarding scholarships incredibly worthwhile. Congratulations Jamie, and thank you for the kind words!
Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation,
My name is Jamie Shrewsbury and I am a 2013 graduate of Martinsburg High School. I wanted to reach out to you to thank you for everything that you have done for me and continue to do for the community.
During my senior year of high school, I was very uncertain of how I was going to be able to further my education after graduation. I was aware that scholarships were available that I could apply for, but thought I truly had no chance of receiving any of them. However, I applied for several scholarships through the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation and was generously awarded two scholarships that helped to completely fund my freshman year at West Virginia University. Being able to attend my dream college and successfully complete my first year of schooling set me up for another successful 3 years in Morgantown.
After my first year, I decided to change my education/career path to Public Relations with an emphasis in sports. Throughout school, I participated in several university organizations and held numerous internships including a media relations internship with the West Virginia Black Bears, a Single A-Affiliate baseball team for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a summer internship with Major League Baseball in Pittsburgh and a two-year internship position with the Mountaineer Athletic Club.
In December of 2017, I graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Strategic Communications-Public Relations and a minor in English. Upon graduation, I was offered a position in the Media Relations Department with the New York Mets and gladly accepted. I am now living in New York and living out my dream of working on the business side of a Major League Baseball team.
Thank you for allowing me to have something I thought I would never have. Thank you for giving me countless memories of Morgantown hills, experiencing a Mountaineer game day and being able to link arm in arm with fellow students and sing “Country Roads” after a win. Without your continuous, tireless efforts to encourage education, I would not be where I am today. The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation gives high school students who may not be in secure financial situations hope and a chance to further their education and to hopefully one day, be able to hold their dream job.
Thank you again, Jamie Shrewsbury