Judy, a WVU junior majoring in political science, competed with top students nationwide to win a plum internship in Washington, DC. This was her chance to set herself up for post-graduation. However, she had a problem. The internship didn’t pay enough for her to live in the DC metro area. What did she do? She reached out to the Alumni Association for ideas. We sent a note to our alumni and problem solved. Malene, an alumna in Arlington, VA, offered her a place to stay for the summer. Judy not only completed her internship but went on to be hired into her dream job by her internship agency. That’s one example of how Mountaineers help Mountaineers.
John, a 1994 graduate, and his family watched the news with desperation last fall as Hurricane Harvey crept toward Houston. They’d been through hurricanes before, but never one with the devastation Harvey would inflict. As Harvey stalled over Houston and the water rose ever so close to their home, it was clear they’d have to evacuate. Moving what they could to the upper floors and packing the car with as much as they possibly could, John and his family left their home not fully understanding the total devastation that would come. Twenty-five other Mountaineer families experienced similar circumstances. But they were not alone in rebuilding, Heather and Chris, the Houston Alumni Chapter leads, activated the Mountaineer network collecting food, clothing, finding shelter, and organizing work crews to help these families out. Some of the families impacted still have not been able to return to their homes, but our alumni have continued to do what they can to help over the past 8 months. Another example of Mountaineers helping Mountaineers.