UC Honors College Receives Generous Gift

The UC Honors College has received a generous gift of $35,000 from former Kanawha Valley residents Bipin and Rita Avashia. The funds will support student research, conference attendance, visiting scholars, opportunities, and resources for students.

Dr. Bipin Avashia hosted a special class with all levels of our Honors College in April. He spoke about healthy life choices, including supporting and maintaining health, fiscal responsibility, and the profound value of education. He also took questions from Honors College students and shared lunch with them.

Dr. Avashia has served corporations, universities, and non-profits in his work as an occupational medicine physician. Rita Avashia has worked as an accountant and is an alumnus of the UC MBA program. The Avashias raised two daughters, Swati and Neema, in the Kanawha Valley. Neema Avashia is the author of “Another Appalachia” and visited with UC Honors students last year.

The UC Honors College provides intensive, applied studies and coursework with an emphasis on experiential learning for exceptional UC students. To qualify, students must have a high school GPA of 3.8 or higher, demonstrated community engagement, and a successful interview with a member of the Honors College faculty. For more about the UC Honors College, visit here: https://www.ucwv.edu/admissions/honors-college/