MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sarah Felton of Fort Ashby, W.Va., is the 2013 recipient of West Virginia University’s Don Marsh Scholarship in Healthcare Writing. Felton is pursuing a master’s degree at the WVU Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism.
The scholarship provides a nine-credit tuition waiver and a paid internship in the Planning, Marketing and Communications Office at the WVU Health Sciences Center. Felton’s internship includes writing press releases for WVU Healthcare and the Health Sciences Center, as well as assisting with media events.
In May 2012, Felton received her bachelor’s degree in writing from Geneva College, where she served as editor in chief of the campus literary magazine, assistant editor of the campus newspaper and received the Geneva College Writing Award. She is returning to school this fall to pursue a career in print journalism and editing.
The scholarship honors West Virginia journalist Don Marsh, who was employed at the Charleston Gazette for 40 years – first as a reporter, then as an editor and columnist. Marsh gained a national reputation for exposing arrogance, corruption and hypocrisy through his work as a journalist. He became editor of the Charleston Gazette in 1976 and won The American Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award for commentary in 1987.
After his retirement from the daily newspaper, Marsh was a commentator on the West Virginia MetroNews radio network until his death in 1999.
Felton is the daughter of Craig and Sue Felton of Fort Ashby and a 2008 graduate of Calvary Christian Academy.