MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A West Virginia University alumnus and his wife, both natives of Hong Kong, have donated $300,000 to advance the work and mission of the WVU School of Medicine.
Albert W. Young, M.D., M.P.H., an Intensivist/Pulmonologist, and Kathy Young have established an endowment to provide scholarships for one or more deserving students at the WVU School of Medicine who demonstrate financial need or exceptional academic promise.
A graduate of Wah Yan College Kowloon, an Irish, Jesuit-run high school in Hong Kong, Dr. Young applied for admission to a number of American universities.
“Fortunately for us,” Arthur J. Ross, III, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine, said, “West Virginia University was the first to respond.”
A gifted student at the undergraduate level, Young applied to the School of Medicine after only three years at WVU and was accepted, graduating in 1971. He completed his residency and fellowship training at the University of Southern California and later earned a master’s degree in public health from UCLA. He and his wife have two children, Renee and Eric.
In the decades since, Young has carved out a remarkable career in medicine and business. He currently serves as the chief medical officer for Allied Physicians IPA in Alhambra, Calif., which coordinates quality patient care among physicians who contract with health plans and hospitals to provide comprehensive care to Health Maintenance Organization members.
In addition to his philanthropic support, Young serves as chair of the WVU School of Medicine’s A State of Minds campaign and is a member of the School’s Visiting Committee, where he works alongside others to advance the School’s mission to improve the lives of the people of West Virginia and beyond.
“Morgantown, West Virginia, is my hometown in America,” he said.
The endowment was created through the WVU Foundation in conjunction with A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The campaign is a $750 million fundraising effort being conducted by the Foundation on behalf of the University.