Dr. David O’Neal, a West Virginia University alumnus and Beckley native, searches the list of performers for a Mountaineer connection at every Broadway show he attends, anywhere in the world.
“I read every playbill to look for WVU graduates,” he said. “We’re going to get one there soon, I have faith.”
In addition to faith, Dr. O’Neal has a philanthropic spirit. He generously committed a planned gift to benefit the College of Creative Arts and Media.
“The only way to help WVU students succeed is to get them to these shows,” Dr. O’Neal said. “There’s a whole world out there of possibilities in the arts. For example, you can make a living playing in an orchestra pit on Broadway. But I don’t want to benefit strictly music kids. All the arts need funding.”
O’Neal’s gift will connect budding artists with opportunities in cultural arts. It will support travel to showcases, auditions, performances and museums, and open doors for internships immersing students in their passions.
“West Virginia is a wonderful place to live, but there are no metropolitan areas to support a world-class symphony, ballet and theaters,” O’Neal said. “Students often need to go out of state to find work.”
Dr. O’Neal, who studied chemistry as an undergraduate at WVU, completed his professional studies at the WVU School of Dentistry in 1990. He practices at Rivertowne Dental in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and resides in nearby Springfield, Virginia, with his husband, Bill.
“Because of the dental school, I’ve had a very good life,” Dr. O’Neal said. “We’re in a lucky situation that we’ve done very well. You can’t take it with you.”
Working with the WVU Foundation, the former trumpet player in the Mountaineer Marching Band was able to direct his gift toward his passion.
“When I was in high school, sophomore year, my teacher, Mr. Ford, took a group of students to Italy and Greece,” O’Neal said. “We finished the final two days of our trip in New York City. That’s where I saw my first Broadway show. That awoke a passion in me, and if I hadn’t gotten into dental school, I would have started all over again at the College of Creative Arts and Media.”
“Years from now, when this gift is realized, it is truly going to be transformational,” Jennifer Jordan, senior director of development at the College of Creative Arts and Media, said. “The focus is so fantastic, helping students travel and experience the world and get out and be the best they can be in the trajectory toward their profession.”
Dr. O’Neal has actively supported the Mountaineer Marching Band in addition to his planned gift and was the first to offer a $10,000 gift of support for the Pride Practice Field and Facility, where supporters officially cut the ribbon Aug. 29. He is a current member of the WVU Alumni Band and has held leadership positions over the years. He has also shared his time and talent as a member of the College of Creative Arts and Media Visiting Committee, where he helps identify and solve some of the biggest obstacles and needs for students launching careers in the arts.
“He finds pleasure in giving,” Bill said. “It’s very simple. It comes naturally to him. It’s no different than when I open the door for someone and they say, ‘Thank you.’ It really is that simple.”
Dr. O’Neal encourages donors considering a gift to WVU to place their money where their passions lie: “What gave you joy during school? That’s where you should give.”
O’Neal’s gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
