Wheeling Central's Liam Kruse, left, and John Marshall's Sarah McBee have been named two of the five 2026 West Virginia University Foundation Scholars.

Two Northern Panhandle high school seniors — one from Wheeling Central Catholic High School and one from John Marshall High School — have earned the most prestigious scholarship an incoming freshman can receive from West Virginia University.

Wheeling Central senior Liam Kruse and John Marshall senior Sarah McBee have been named two of the five 2026 WVU Foundation Scholars, the university announced Monday afternoon.

Valued at more than $100,000 total, the Foundation Scholarship covers college costs for four years of undergraduate studies, including tuition and fees, room and board, and a book stipend. Each Foundation Scholar will also receive a $4,500 stipend to help diversify their academic journeys through study abroad, internships or research.

Kruse and McBee join Rose Bigelow from Oak Hill High School, Chastity Brockett from Ravenswood High School and Roman Gevenosky from Shady Spring High School in this year’s group of Foundation Scholars.

“The five Foundation Scholars join a proud history of exemplary students who have challenged themselves academically as Mountaineers,” WVU President Michael T. Benson said. “I welcome Rose, Chastity, Roman, Liam, and Sarah to West Virginia University as part of our incoming first-year class, and I look forward to seeing what steps toward their bold futures they take with us in their respective fields.”

Kruse, driven by his interests in mathematics, policy and statistics, will major in economics. He envisions a career at the intersection of the global economy and data-driven forecasting — whether that means working for international banks in Europe to study how world events shape financial markets or following his father into academia. He will join the Orthodox Christian Fellowship and Mountaineers on Wall Street. With his sights set on studying at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece or attending the International Conference of Econometrics, Kruse is currently mastering Greek and French to prepare for his experiences abroad.

McBee, a third-generation college student inspired by the university’s top-tier laboratories, will major in biochemistry. An aspiring gynecologist, she is dedicated to improving women’s health care and breaking down social stigmas surrounding sexual health. She looks forward to joining the Global Medical and Dental Brigades and studying the human papillomavirus and other sexually transmitted diseases through the Research Apprenticeship Program. A viola and trumpet player, she plans to explore the music ensembles and join the Swing Dance Club. McBee also said she hopes to channel her lifelong interest in archaeology by studying abroad in Egypt.

Since the inaugural class in 1987, WVU has awarded Foundation Scholarships to 200 students. To qualify for the Foundation Scholarship, students must meet a rigorous set of criteria, including holding West Virginia residency, possessing a minimum grade point average of 3.8 and achieving a minimum composite score of 30 on the ACT or the equivalent SAT score.

Another Northern Panhandle student, Oak Glen High senior. Maddox McKay was named a Bucklew Scholar. The Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship is named for a former WVU president and is valued at $60,000, providing its recipients with $15,000 per year over four years to be used toward educational costs. All Bucklew Scholars have qualified for the WVU Honors College and the scholarship may be used in addition to the state’s PROMISE Scholarship.

McKay is majoring in public health sciences to become an epidemiologist addressing health care challenges in Appalachia.