This scholarship is established in memory of Wilbur T. Harnsberger and is an annual award made to a geology major to partially defray the costs of a summer field camp. Mr. Harnsberger was a fuels geologist for the state of Virginia and was the first geologist hired by Madison College. He became the first Geology Department head and remained in the position for 21 years

Bill Harnsberger is best described in a letter from the faculty to the administration: “Clearly Mr. Harnsberger’s greatest efforts were directed toward building the Department of Geology at Madison College. Beginning with a desk, half of a table top, and a metal storage cabinet, he built the second largest science department at Madison, and what has been called one of the best undergraduate geology departments in Virginia. This was accomplished under the constrictions of limited space and funding requiring uncommon tenacity and dedication of purpose. Many years were spent teaching 20 contact hours per week in addition to class preparation, specimen and material acquisition, course development, and administrative duties, all of which are needed for an expanding program. The task of developing a Department of Geology, which has become a credit to Madison College, required vast expenditures of physical and mental energy.”

Bill Harnsberger was truly a remarkable and dedicated man.

Past Awardees

2024: Sherrie Gies

2023: Michael Buchanan

2022: David Hoppe

2021: Sara Patton

2020: Brianna Mellerson

2019: Andrew Everett

2018: Michelle Proulx

2017: Joshua Benton

2016: Stacey Law

2015: Thomas Farrell

2014: April Kelly

2013: Olivia McClay

2012: Zachary Kiracofe

2011: Win McCormack

2010: Susan Hoffman

2009: Seldon Walker

2008: Andrew Hawkins

2007: Cynthea Wrike

2006: Robert Sas and Sarah Roberts

2005: Michelle Summa

2004: Jacquelyn Hess

2003: Stephanie Weaver

2002: Joseph Meiburger

2001: Matthew Tymchak

2000: Rebecca Rodgers Guardino

1999: Matthew Lenahan

1998: Brent Johnson

1997: Christy Hudson

1995: Brendan McCulley, William Wan, and Kathleen Kieffer Forbes

1994: James Hutton and Michael Maloy

1993: James Fredrick and Amy McReynolds

1992: Theresa Horten Jones and Elizabeth Snider Pitts

1991: Matthew Uliana and Roger Nelson

1990: Jennifer Jenkins Wakefield and Jennifer Cooper Healey

Give to the Wilbur T. Harnsberger Scholarship.