The legacy of Jerry West inspired Steve and Connie Ballmer to donate $5 million to WVU. The funds will be used to support completion grants for students at risk of leaving the University because of financial challenges and the Jerry West Scholarship, which has been awarded to West Virginia natives attending WVU since 1971.
(WVU Photo)

Call it a slam dunk: West Virginia University is scoring new opportunities for students to pursue and complete their degrees with a $5 million gift honoring late Mountaineer great Jerry West.

Steve Ballmer, chairman of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, and his wife, Connie, made the gift as a tribute to West following his passing on June 12, 2024. The announcement coincides with Jerry West Day, a celebration of West’s memory and legacy at the WVU men’s basketball game Saturday (Jan. 18) versus Iowa State.

Half of the Ballmer family’s gift establishes a new fund in West’s name to support completion grants, which provide monetary assistance for WVU students at risk of leaving the University due to financial challenges. The goal is to encourage students to remain in school and complete their degrees.

The remaining funds will bolster the Jerry West Scholarship, which goes to undergraduate students from West Virginia with demonstrated financial need. First awarded in 1971, the scholarship has enabled generations of Mountain State natives to graduate from WVU.

“This generous gift from Steve and Connie Ballmer ensures that future generations of West Virginia University students will have the opportunity to explore their passions, discover their purpose and achieve their own success, just as Jerry West did,” WVU President Gordon Gee said. “It not only preserves a remarkable legacy but will also empower the next wave of leaders to chart their own paths, grounded in the values of determination, excellence and service that West exemplified throughout his life.”

West and his wife, Karen, contributed generously to the University during his lifetime, supporting scholarships, athletics, academics, health care and more to benefit his home state and its residents. He also shared his expertise to benefit WVU, offering advice and counsel to athletics leadership as needed.

“I have no doubt Jerry West would be thrilled by this meaningful gift to his alma mater,” Cindi Roth, president and CEO of the WVU Foundation, said. “His intellect, strength and character were defined by his West Virginia roots, and he was deeply committed to creating opportunities for Mountaineers to succeed. We appreciate this thoughtful gift from the Ballmer family to build upon Jerry West’s legacy at WVU.”

Known as “The Logo” for inspiring the iconic silhouette of the NBA logo, West is universally regarded as one of basketball’s all-time greats. Last fall, he became the first three-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — as a player, executive and contributor.

West cultivated his basketball skills growing up in Chelyan, a small town in Kanawha County, and led the Mountaineers to historic success in the 1950s. WVU won 81 of 93 games while West was in the lineup and came within two points of winning a national championship in 1959.

Taken in the first round of the 1960 NBA draft by the Lakers (No. 2 overall), West spent 14 seasons in Los Angeles and racked up virtually every league honor before he retired in 1974. Following his playing career, he excelled as one of the NBA’s top executives. He served as general manager and president of the Lakers, helping them to earn six NBA titles over 18 years, and general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Jerry West’s legacy will live on in the hearts of West Virginians forever, and it’s generous gifts like this from Steve and Connie Ballmer that will not only honor Jerry but touch the lives of WVU students for years to come,” WVU Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “In the times that I got to speak with Jerry, I quickly realized why he was so respected and revered around the country. Much appreciation goes to the Ballmers, not only for this gift, but for their friendship with Jerry and in helping WVU preserve his legacy.”

Post-retirement, West provided pivotal guidance to the Golden State Warriors and later the LA Clippers as a consultant and executive board member. His work with the Clippers began in 2017 and continued until his death.

Ballmer purchased the LA Clippers in 2014, after retiring as CEO of Microsoft. He has described West as “a confidant, an advisor and a friend” who enriched his life personally and professionally.

“When we talked about this gift, we wanted to focus on those students who need a little extra assistance in school because of difficulties they’ve experienced in life,” Steve Ballmer said. “This made so much sense to me because it got to Jerry’s real spirit of wanting to help those people who may not have been blessed in the same way he was.”

Together, Steve and Connie co-founded Ballmer Group Philanthropy, which funds organizations and leaders to expand economic opportunity and reduce systemic inequities in America.

The Ballmer gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

-WVU-

cr/01/17/25

MEDIA CONTACT: Cassie Rice
Director of Strategic Communications
WVU Foundation
304-554-0217; crice@wvuf.org

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Sen. Jim Justice, who promised rocket ship rides and boasted big budget surpluses, has left the new Gov. Patrick Morrisey with a problem: a projected $400 million deficit beginning next year.

Morrisey, who is in his first week on the job, said that the deficit was what his administration had found as of this week.

“We’re talking about what we’ve inherited. It’s not factoring in any new spending priorities or any proposed additional tax cuts,” he said Thursday at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia.

“These problems weren’t created overnight,” he continued. “ … I can tell you that we do believe that there are significant structural problems with the budget, and I’m committed to fixing it.”

The Republican, who campaigned on ending big government spending, said the projected deficit doesn’t mean his administration won’t be able to offer another tax cut to residents or pay raises to teachers. He said they’re still a possibility his administration will address rising health care costs impacting the Public Employees Insurance Agency. 

“I’ve been very clear that I want West Virginia to be even more competitive with all the states that we touch,” Morrisey said. “But we’re going to have to look at this, and it’s going to take a while for anyone to go through this … I know that I remain very optimistic despite a lot of the big spending that’s occurred.”

Morrisey declined to put the blame specifically on Justice, saying, “I’m not going to talk about any individuals.” Justice, a Republican, was sworn into the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, forgoing the first 10 days of his Senate term.

Justice faced a $500 million budget deficit when he took office as governor in 2017.

He consistently commented on his work turning around the state’s financial situation, and he regularly touted his multi-million dollar surpluses. Justice was adamant that lawmakers keep a flat budget. Meanwhile, state health leaders said they needed nearly $300 million to address pressing issues in West Virginia, like the substance abuse crisis. Education leaders said they needed $258 million to implement necessary school safety measures amid a national rise in school violence. 

Last month, Justice told the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, “For all I know, we do not have a hole for [fiscal year] 2026 at all … the next budget will surely depend on decisions that are made by the next folks that come in and the Legislature and on and on and on.” 

This year’s budget bill, passed by the House and Senate on the last night of the 2024 regular legislative session, set the general revenue budget for the current fiscal year at roughly $4.9 billion, 5% less than Justice’s introduced version of $5.3 billion. 

Morrisey said on Tuesday that there had been “a lot of spending” in the last few months under Justice, adding that he would be “analyzing that rocket ship ride.” His administration will review a number of recent economic announcements under Justice, and non finalized contracts could be eliminated as he seeks to save money.

“The era of big spending is over. It’s over. In West Virginia, the time for spending beyond our means is over,” Morrisey said. 

Already taking steps to address spending 

Morrisey said that he expects the state to meet budget goals this year through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The shortfall in this year’s budget is temporarily being replaced by a one-time provider tax cash balance, he said.

He emphasized that he already began cutting costs, including an executive order issued on Tuesday that eliminated any state dollars tied to diversity initiatives. Another executive order requires state agencies to make a plan for more efficient spending.

In an effort to save money, Morrisey said that he will work with the Legislature to consolidate the existing Department of Economic Development with the Department of Commerce and to consolidate the existing Department of Arts, Culture and History with the Department of Tourism. The considerations are “an initial step toward making state government more efficient and effective,” according to Morrisey. 

He was unable to offer specifics about any potential job cuts in an effort to save money.

Despite the budget hole, Morrisey will push his tax cut in collaboration with the Legislature. 

“I do believe that West Virginia needs to continue to emphasize a reduction in taxes to become the lowest in the region,” he said. 

Morrisey will present his proposed budget to lawmakers when the regular 60-day legislative session begins next month. 

“We will continue to try to garner every efficiency out of state government, because our taxpayers deserve nothing less,” he said. 

Gov. Patrick Morrisey campaigned on “right sizing”. Now three days into Morrisey’s term as governor he’s proposing to restructure state departments. 

The new governor took his cabinet appointments as an opportunity to usher in an era of fewer governmental departments. 

In announcing five more cabinet appointments, Morrisey also announced plans to combine four state agencies into two. 

Morrisey said he will work with lawmakers to pass legislation that would combine The Department of Arts, Culture and History with the Department of Tourism. 

He said he also plans to work with the legislature to combine the Department of Commerce and the Department of Economic Development. 

Morrisey, who ran on reducing the size of the state’s government, said this is just the beginning of the consolidation of state agencies. 

“These are not going to be the end of the consolidation proposals,” Morrisey said. “You should expect that there will be a number of additional proposals in this area in the upcoming weeks.”

Morrisey said in the press conference that the state is staring down a budget deficit if the state doesn’t take necessary steps — including consolidations. 

“Those efficiencies are even more important in light of what we’re going to be talking about next,” he said “The era of big spending is over.” 

The new secretary of the Department of Commerce will be the current West Virginia Republican Party Chair, Mathew Herridge. 

Chelsea Ruby, who has been the secretary of tourism for the past eight years, was reappointed. 

Morrisey didn’t name secretaries for the Department of Arts, Culture and History or the Department of Economic Development.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting falls under the Department of Arts, Culture and History.  

Morrisey announced two more appointments Thursday. 

Stephen Todd Rumbaugh was appointed the secretary of transportation and commissioner of highways. Arvin Singh was appointed secretary of health.