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One of the cornerstones of a West Virginia University business education is a strong ethical framework. Now, thanks to the support of one of the largest grantmaking foundations in the United States, the business leaders of tomorrow are becoming its philosophical leaders too.

In September 2025, the John Templeton Foundation, which supports interdisciplinary research centered on morality, inspiration and purpose, bestowed a grant of $2.49 million upon the University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics. The Templeton Foundation grant was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

WVU alumna and Morgantown native Damia Dobbs has been an academic advisor for Chambers College undergraduates for more than 7 years. During her time in this role, Dobbs has guided countless students through their college journeys – even when those journeys varied dramatically. 

“Everyone's story is different, and you don't know where they're coming from," said Dobbs. “For me, right after high school, I moved to northern Virginia and was a nanny for eight years. When I started at WVU, I was already an adult with a life, and my everyday looked different than a traditional college student’s.” 

When you hear people talk about their internship search, you might hear something like, “I got mine in early September!” or “I got mine before classes even started!”

That certainly wasn’t my story.