3 brothers, all WVU alumni, create scholarship for Statler engineering students

Brothers Bill, Jeff and Gil Dyer earned their civil, chemical and industrial engineering degrees here at Statler College, and their Dyer Family Scholarship is giving back to support the next generation of engineers (WVU Photo).

A brotherly bond and desire to give back will provide scholarship opportunities for students at the West Virginia University Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

Story by WVU Foundation

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

A brotherly bond and desire to give back will provide scholarship opportunities for students at the West Virginia University Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

Undergraduate or graduate students in any Statler College engineering program could qualify for the scholarship as long as they are West Virginia residents who meet the academic requirements.

“We strive to create a community for our students and having families and friends attend the Statler College together helps to foster strong collaborations and have a lasting impact on their community,” Robin Hissam, associate dean of academics and student performance at the Statler College, said. “We truly appreciate the generosity of the Dyer brothers to provide opportunities for more students connect to advance the fields of engineering and computing.”

Brothers Bill, Jeff and Gil Dyer established the Dyer Family Scholarship following successful careers they say were kick-started by undergraduate degrees in civil, chemical and industrial engineering, respectfully, from WVU.

“I was fortunate to have a long career in the aerospace and defense industry,” Bill said. “Jeff graduated with a chemical engineering degree before completing law school at WVU. Gil was an industrial engineer who worked for GE for several years before also returning to WVU to earn his law degree. Thus, WVU and its engineering programs had major impacts on our lives. Funding our scholarship is a way to give back and help future West Virginia students become engineers.” 

The Dyer siblings have West Virginia roots. Following graduation, their grandfather, originally a Ritchie County native, practiced law in Morgantown for seven decades.

“Our mother, Darst, graduated from WVU,” Gil said. “She went to Columbia University in New York City where she met and married our dad, William. Following World War II, our parents moved to Morgantown.”

Four generations of the Dyer family are Mountaineer alumni.

“Both of my children graduated from WVU,” Jeff said. “They are working as pharmacists.”

The brothers felt it was important to give back to WVU and the state.

“Dad and Granddad worked together for many years and expanded their businesses, including running the Dari-Delite in Sabraton where we all worked during summers,” Bill said.

“In the 1960s, WVU expansion plans included buying the Morgantown Golf Club and Granddad sold his portion for well below market value, which is where Milan Puskar Stadium is now."

The Dyer brothers range from longtime donors to first-time donors and made their contributions through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

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