Local Marshall alumni chapter wins awards

PARKERSBURG -- A local Marshall University alumni chapter won big at the Marshall University and Marshall University Alumni Association's 85th Alumni Awards Banquet.

The banquet was held April 13 and the Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley won two awards, according to a Marshall University Alumni Association media release.

According to their Facebook page, Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley serves Marshall Alumni from Wood, Pleasants, Wirt, Ritchie, Doddridge and Tyler counties in West Virginia and Washington County in Ohio.

The Chapter President of the Year Award was given to Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter President Laurie Martin.

"The Chapter President of the Year award recognizes outstanding leadership and Laurie truly embodies what it means to be a leader," Marshall University Executive Director of Alumni Relations Matt James said in the release. "We are so proud to celebrate Laurie with the inaugural Chapter President of the Year award, as well as recognize our Annapolis chapter and our Southern Coalfields chapter for a remarkable year."

The release said Martin has served as president of the Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter for more than 16 years and the chapter has donated $326,000 to the Marshall University Foundation and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation.

Four new Chapter Excellence Awards were announced during the banquet, Excellence in Fellowship and Support, Excellence in Mentoring, Excellence in Scholarships and Excellence in Student Recruitment, according to the release.

The release said the Marshall University Alumni and Big Green Chapter of the Mid-Ohio Valley received the Excellence in Scholarships award. The chapter donated $42,000 in fiscal year 2023 in many areas, but primarily it donated to scholarships between the Marshall University Foundation and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation. The chapter held its annual scholarship fundraiser dinner April 4 in Vienna.

Several other awards were presented during the banquet. The Emerging Chapter of the Year Award was given to the Marshall University Alumni Greater Annapolis Area Chapter, which won the award once before as well. The Chapter of the Year Award was presented to the Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter, making it the chapter's fourth time receiving the award. The Excellence in Fellowship and Support Award was given to the 75 Family Alumni Chapter. The Excellence in Mentoring Award was presented to the Society of Yeager Scholars Alumni Chapter. The Excellence in Student Recruitment award was given to the Marshall University Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter.

For more information regarding alumni chapters or the Alumni Awards Banquet, visit www.formarshallu.org.