The WSU Foundation has added three new members to the alumni board. These three individuals are set to join the ranks of the philanthropic foundation that serves the thousands of current Wright State University students.
What is the WSUF?
The WSU Foundation is an alumni organization that was created by its first board, which included Robert Oleman, Eugene Kettering, James Cox Sr., Richard O. Micheal and C. William Verity. The goal of the organization is to help WSU remain an affordable option for students in the Dayton area.
The WSUF has started several initiatives with this goal in mind. Two such programs are "Rise. Shine. The Campaign for Wright State," which concluded in 2017 and "Tomorrow Takes Flight," which concluded in 2006. These have raised millions of dollars for scholarships and opened financial doors for several students.
They also run the Students First Fund, which is a program that funds students in their on-campus events. The goal is to fund opportunities on campus that will further education and success.
“The Students First Fund was established to provide a source of one-time opportunity funding to support the student experience. Grants made from this fund are designed to support innovative ideas that assist students to succeed, thrive, persist, graduate and begin their careers,” a spokesperson from the program explained.
Reagan Steele, a Neuroscience major, was a recipient for the Student First Fund for her "Wright Day to Give" event. She was thankful for the supportive environment it and either donors gave.
“That supportive environment and those amazing experiences would not have been possible without the help of our alumni and donors. They truly are dream makers for students like me,” Steele explained.
Now, the board is expanding to continue these aspirations.
New board members
Three new members have joined the ranks of the board of trustees for the foundation.
Eimaan Virani is the vice president of Student Government Association and a public health major.
Iwona Goodrich is a current graduate student at WSU. She aims to add a sense of student advocacy. She serves as vice president of public relations for the College of Graduates and Honors Studies.
Last but not least, Jim Odenweller is a Navy veteran and two-time WSU graduate. He is a leader of manufacturing in the area and a facilities manager at AES Ohio and Indiana.
According to WSF President and CEO Scott Rash, these three are set to be great additions to the board.
“We are honored to welcome Jim, Iwona and Eimaan to the Wright State University Foundation Board of Trustees. We appreciate their willingness to serve and know they will provide tremendous support to the Foundation, the university and our students,” Rash stated.
With these new members added to the board, the WSUF will be able to further advance its mission to keep WSU as an affordable university in the Dayton area. To view more about the WSUF foundation and its goals, visit the website here.
