Monroe County Education Foundation Through the Years: The Beginning

By Becky Crabtree

In 2001, a perfect storm of creation whirled into the area: a gracious donor offered to include Monroe County students in a scholarship designed primarily for Greenbrier County residents, and at about the same time, two tutors at the Union library's literacy program spoke of their gratifying experiences of donating to scholarship foundations in their former community and expressed a need for local scholarships. Monroe County leaders became aware that no Monroe County-based scholarship organization existed. Informal discussions began; a change was in the works. Several people who knew of the need, including the then-superintendent of Monroe County Schools, Dr. Lyn Guy. She spoke with Judy Azulay, Phil Shrewsbury, and Judy Ellison and discussed methods to benefit Monroe County citizens in the future.

As new ideas bounced from sidewalk conversations to telephone chats to work meetings, it soon became clear that enough Monroe Countians were interested to warrant a more formal gathering. On June 11, 2001, Natalie Sandell hosted a meeting at Creekside, and the discussion became more focused. The dual purposes were set: to fund scholarships for Monroe County students and educational projects. It was clearly established at the get-go that money could be provided for those of any age.

To develop a foundation, the first step was to adopt Articles of Incorporation. That required three officers and a registered agent. Bylaws needed to be established. Documents needed to be filed at the Monroe County Clerk's office and the West Virginia Secretary of State's office. An application for 501(c)(3) status had to be submitted, and an SS-4, Social Security Tax Number, had to be obtained. There were fees associated with the filings; members of the group contributed their own "seed" money to secure the required documents.

By September 2001, the bylaws were completed. The organization had a name: Monroe County Education Foundation, Inc. Officers were chosen: Judy Ellison - President, Mark Kilcolin - Vice President, Tracy Dransfield - Secretary, and Natalie Sandell - Treasurer. Board members and advisors attending were: Debra Dalton, Jonathan Rice, Judy Ellison, Natalie Sandell, Wayne Cowder, and Phil Shrewsbury.

Tracy Dransfield remembers the group's early focus: "Although it has been some years, I have fond memories of serving on the earliest Monroe County Education Foundation Board of Directors. The MCEF's original intent is the same as today—to provide scholarship assistance to citizens of Monroe County in their quest to achieve their educational goals.

Our thoughts were that this foundation was also meant to serve adult learners pursuing a different career path, as well as the traditional student just graduating from high school and straight into career technical school or a College/University setting.

Monroe County Education Foundation's original board members held the philosophy of "taking care of our own" to help "grow our own". We desired to establish a foundation that would serve Monroe County residents for years to come by growing its financial base and supporting a vision of an educated populace that will serve Monroe County residents and beyond.

Johnathan Rice and his wife, Laura, were instrumental in helping us establish this foundation. To this day, the MCEF relies on Laura to administer the scholarship and grow the foundation, which she has done dramatically! I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge the wisdom and foresight of Dr. Mark Kilcollin—a brilliant philanthropist who looks for ways in which our beloved Monroe County can be made better, not by covering up our shortcomings, but in every way to rectify and make better and better with each succeeding year. His guidance and leadership during the formation of the MCEF were invaluable."

Then began fund-raising and fine-tuning the organization. The fiscal year was set, as was the yearly meeting date. Policies for both donors and scholarship recipients were developed. Hard work for the next two years culminated in the first outside scholarship in 2004 from Carillion Hospital.

By 2021, 161 scholarships and over $140,000 had been awarded. Donors, both local families and corporations, were stepping forward. In 2023, another 17 scholarships were offered. Through 2025, a total of 239 scholarships have been awarded, totaling $211,050. With spring 2026 just around the corner, the number of annual scholarships has increased again. It seems the original vision for the group, nurtured over the past 25 years, has become reality.

This is the second in a series of articles about the work and far-reaching impact of the Monroe County Education Foundation. More information can be found at mcefwv.org.