The late Jack Cisney will continue to impact higher education in the Ohio Valley for years to come, with a second large gift that will help business students.

The West Liberty University Foundation announced that Cisney, an Ohio Valley educator and longtime higher education supporter, has donated $600,000 to WLU to establish the Jack E. Cisney Scholarship, an endowed fund that will provide financial assistance to students majoring in accounting and other business disciplines at West Liberty University.

“Mr. Cisney was clearly a person who placed others before himself,” said Betsy Delk, Executive Director of the WLU Foundation. “The university and our students are very fortunate to be the beneficiaries of both his prudence and his generosity.”

This is the second $600,000 gift announced by the Cisney estate. The first was bequeathed to West Virginia Northern Community College to provide scholarships and emergency assistance to WVNCC business students. Cisney, who died last May at age 87, was a faculty member at both WLU and WVNCC.

Born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Cisney earned degrees from Susquehanna University and the University of Scranton before embarking on his teaching career.

Beyond the classroom, Cisney contributed his time and leadership as a member of the Board of Trustees for the West Virginia Northern Community College Foundation and the Board of Directors at Russell Nesbitt.

He was also involved in several civic organizations, including the Wheeling Elks Lodge and Oglebay Institute, and took pride in his heritage as a Mayflower descendant.

“Jack Cisney’s legacy will live on through the students who benefit from this scholarship,” said Dr. Ann Saurbier, Dean of the Gary E. West College of Business. “His generosity reflects his lifelong dedication to education and his belief in the power of opportunity. We are grateful for his commitment to supporting future business leaders.”

Jeffrey R. Miller, Esq., the executor of Cisney’s estate, noted that Cisney lived a modest and disciplined life which allowed him to accumulate significant wealth over time. His estate was divided among four institutions–West Liberty University, West Virginia Northern Community College, and the two Pennsylvania universities he attended.

Following a vesting period, the endowed scholarship will be available beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year, providing annual awards to qualified students pursuing business degrees at WLU, with preference given to those majoring in accounting. This impactful gift, according to WLU, supports the university’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality education that prepares students for meaningful careers and lifelong success.