Martha Gaines Wehrle Endowed Scholarship

In Honor of Martha Gaines Wehrle

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Martha Gaines Wehrle was raised in Appalachia by her family who had limited means but believed in the value of a good education. Martha graduated from Vassar in 1948 and then spent two years in France, leading student trips for the Experiment in International Living. She returned to the States, received her Masters in Education from Harvard in 1954 and then settled in her native state of West Virginia to teach. After raising her five children, she served in the West Virginia Legislature for over twenty years, pioneering a path for women in state politics. She showed her family each and every day the power and importance of leadership, education, and hard work. She had a natural curiosity about all people and taught her children the virtue of listening to others. She made sure I had a willingness to try new things and to always be committed to build for the future. She also instilled the knowledge to create their futures through actions each and every day. 

 

This confidence and kindness are her legacy and this endowed scholarship will allow others the chance to create their own future.