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For Immediate Release: 4/1/09
Contact: Annette Barnette
Public Relations & Marketing Director
����ֱ�� State College
(304) 462-4115

����ֱ��, WV – A ����ֱ�� State College alum has given back to his alma mater. Rich Heffelfinger and his wife Twila of Charleston have donated $25,000 to the GSC Transforming Lives Now Campaign. “����ֱ�� State College is very important to me. I am excited about the progress being made there today by the insurgence of energy being demonstrated by the quality leadership currently in place.”

The Troy, Ohio native says he enrolled at GSC in 1976 to play sports and took education classes until he graduated in 1980. Even though he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Heffelfinger did not pursue a teaching career. Instead, after working during college summer breaks for oil and gas companies, he decided to remain employed in that industry.

Heffelinger said, “Earning a degree at ����ֱ�� State College was instrumental to my future and greatly contributed to my success.” He says his gift will help support the school so other students can earn degrees in the future even if their academic areas of study are different than their career paths. “When I look at job applicants who have college educations, it tells me something about them. It tells me they not only have degrees, but they have also learned how to set goals and achieve them.”

Heffelfinger lived in ����ֱ�� for eleven years after graduating from GSC before moving to Charleston. He encourages others who have also benefited from ����ֱ�� State College to support it as well. Heffelfinger said, “I know what ����ֱ�� State College did for me, and I believe in what it is continuing to do for its students. I would hope others who have benefited from this keystone institution and who are in a financial position to do so will certainly consider contributing as well.”

Heffelfinger is the Executive Vice President of Rubin Resources, Inc. He serves on the boards of directors of both the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia and the ����ֱ�� State College Foundation.