The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF) is pleased to announce a significant increase in scholarship applications for 2025. This year, more than 1,100 students applied for support—up from 835 in 2024—demonstrating both a growing need and the trust that local students place in their community foundation.
To thoughtfully evaluate these applications, the PACF is partnering with 171 scholarship committees made up of dedicated community volunteers, industry professionals, board members, and donors. These groups are now hard at work as high schools across PACF’s 11-county service region move into award season.
In 2024, the PACF awarded $627,874 in scholarships to 263 students, supported by 173 unique scholarship funds. These students represented twenty area high schools and forty-six colleges, reflecting the wide-reaching impact of scholarships managed through the PACF. The Foundation’s current service area includes Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio.
The surge in local scholarship demand aligns with a nationwide trend: postsecondary enrollment has rebounded above pre-COVID levels, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. This fall, total enrollment increased by 4.5% an additional 817,000 students—with especially strong gains in community colleges, vocational programs, and undergraduate certificate programs. Public two-year colleges with a focus on vocational training saw double-digit growth for the second year in a row, underscoring the increasing importance of skilled trades and technical education.
“When you create a scholarship fund at the PACF or give to an already established scholarship fund, you’re not just supporting a student—you’re enriching your own community,” said Julie Posey, Senior Development and Stewardship Officer at the PACF. “You’re helping a young person take the next step, and that ripple effect strengthens our workforce, our neighborhoods, and our shared future.”
Access to education—whether through a four-year university, a two-year college, or a vocational program—is one of the most effective ways to create lasting change. Through the stewardship of its scholarship funds, the PACF helps ensure that cost is not a barrier to opportunity. Each scholarship awarded through the PACF is an investment in our region’s future.
With the rising number of applicants and the growth in both college and workforce training enrollment, the need for support—particularly through endowed scholarships—continues to grow. Endowed scholarships are a powerful way for individuals to make a long-term impact. These permanent funds create opportunity year after year, inspiring local students and empowering them to pursue their goals.
“At the PACF, we believe that when you support local students, you’re doing more than giving—you're creating opportunity, fostering hope, and taking care of your community,” said Posey. “The students we help today will become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and changemakers.”
To learn more about how you can establish a scholarship or support an existing fund, please contact the PACF team at 304-428-4438. Together, we can open more doors for local learners and strengthen the future of our region.
