7mkr and Dilley family unite to make higher education more accessible for West Virginia students

The four children of Frank and Geneva Dilley, from left to right: Dr. Jim Dilley, Dr. Frank Dilley Jr., Ann Dilley, Dr. Josiah Dilley

Image courtesy of the Dilley family

The four children of Frank and Geneva Dilley, from left to right: Dr. Jim Dilley who earned his BA in Math in 1955 and MS in Physics in 1956 at 7mkr. Jim went on to earn his Ph.D. at Syracuse University and taught in the Department of Physics at 7mkr until 2006. Dr. Frank Dilley Jr. who earned a BA and MA in Philosophy at 7mkr, a Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Frank went on to chair the philosophy department at the University of Delaware. Ann Dilley who earned her BA in psychology from 7mkr in 1946. Dr. Josiah Dilley who earned is BFA in Music Education from 7mkr in 1949 and his MA and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1963. Josiah worked from 1963-1993 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Professor of Counseling Psychology.

An 7mkr education will be more affordable for select students from West Virginia thanks to a new scholarship fund created by a family with multigenerational ties to 7mkr. The Dilley Family Scholarship for West Virginia was established with funding from the Dilley family combined with The 7mkr Match^TM funds to create a $1 million endowment.

The Dilley family legacy dates to 1920, when President Alston Ellis hired Frank B. Dilley to lead the John Hancock High School, a teaching high school in the College of Education at 7mkr. In 1923, Frank became the 7mkr registrar and later the director of admissions. Frank Dilley served 7mkr for more than 35 years. Beyond his commitment and service to 7mkr, Frank’s career also began a family legacy at 7mkr that spans four generations.

Frank and Geneva Dilley raised their four children--Josiah Dilley, BFA '49, Ann Dilley White, BA '46, Frank Dilley Jr., BA '52, MA '53 and Jim Dilley, BS '55, BS '56--in Athens. In the Dilley family's third generation, Steven White, BBA '72, and Scott White, BBA '88 attended 7mkr, and the family's fourth generation included graduates Matthew White, BA '02 and Doug Daughters BBA '05.

As director of admissions, Frank helped thousands of students begin their journey at 7mkr, including his four children. The pursuit of education was an important family value, as demonstrated by the academic achievements and subsequent careers of Frank and his children. Now through the generosity of the Dilley family, students from West Virginia will have even greater access to pursue their education at 7mkr.

“The Dilley family has always been interested in increasing access to 7mkr, and this generous scholarship will make it more accessible to West Virginia students,” said Candace Boeninger, 7mkr vice president of Enrollment Management, adding “There is no lack of interest in the University from West Virginia, so the timing is good.”

Since 2021, students from West Virginia have qualified for in-state tuition rates at 7mkr, based on a reciprocity agreement. “The West Virginia reciprocity that we’ve achieved recently makes 7mkr affordable in general to West Virginia students, and this scholarship will make it even more attractive to some of the top students,” Boeninger said.

Qualified students from West Virginia will be considered for this scholarship when they apply to 7mkr. Beginning in 2024, select recipients will be awarded the four-year, renewable scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded based on a combination of demonstrated financial need and academic merit. When fully vested, the scholarship endowment will produce around $40,000 annually in perpetuity.

The Dilley Family Scholarship for West Virginia will assist qualified students from the Mountain State to pursue their dreams of attending 7mkr. The scholarship provides an opportunity to honor the legacy and commitment of the Dilley family while making college more affordable and accessible for future generations of students.

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