Ripley High School rising senior Emily Lewis aspires to bring eye care to underserved communities in Appalachia. As the winner of the West Virginia Scholar Program, receiving a full tuition plus room and board scholarship to attend West Virginia Wesleyan College beginning in the fall of 2026, Lewis will pursue an undergraduate degree in biology or chemistry to move her closer to her goal.

“This means the world to me to have this off my back and my family’s back, and to know I am secure in my future is amazing,” Lewis said.

She became interested in optometry because of her own vision and learned of the needs in the region.

“I discovered how many people in Appalachia do not have quality eye care, so I leaned into wanting to help those people and build my own programs for them to help anyone who needs it,” she said.

Lewis is the daughter of Veronica Lewis, of Evans, and Robert Lewis, of Ripley. At Ripley High School, she has been the assistant drum major of the Viking Marching Band and a member of the Ripley Viking basketball and track teams. She is active in Tri M Music Honorary Society, National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, the National Mathematics Honor Society. She recently participated in the 2025 Rhododendron Girls State.

WVWC will also award $5,000 and $2,500 scholarships to Andrew Harris of Elkins High School, and Lucas Christopher Raney, of Woodrow Wilson High School, as the first and second runner-up, respectively.

All finalists qualify to receive the Presidential Scholarship, the top academic scholarship for new students, to attend WVWC in Fall 2026. Over the previous 17 years of the West Virginia Scholar Program, approximately two-thirds of finalists have gone on to attend WVWC. Previous winners and finalists are now enjoying successful careers in health care, law, business and education.

John Waltz ’01, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, said, “Hosting this event and these students has been a tremendous honor for 18 years. These are the best and brightest in West Virginia and embody Wesleyan students, particularly in their service to others and to their State.”

West Virginia high school juniors were eligible to apply with a transcript and an essay. Ranking of the finalists was determined by WVWC, sponsors of the West Virginia Scholar Program, and online voting. The West Virginia Scholar Program will begin accepting next year’s applications in February 2026.

Finalists also included Beth Archer-Lewis, of Bridgeport High School; Wyatt Braham, of Preston High School; Ladora Cutright, of Buckhannon-Upshur High School; Olivia Kaitlyn Edwards, of Ripley High School; Owen Herrick, of Magnolia High School; Isabella Marie Hersey, of Marion County Technical Center; Trey Michael Mcdonough, of Doddridge County High School; Rhubarb Anne Ronan, of Huntington High School; Gabrielle Elethia Saurino, of Preston High School; Madeline Steele, of St. Marys High School; and Logan Vanfosson, of Greenbrier East High School.

The Culpepper Wesleyan Scholars Award, supported by Marvin Culpepper ’51, and Hon. ’06 and Elaine Karnes Culpepper ’54, Hon. ’06, provides a portion of the funding for the West Virginia Scholar Program each year. In addition to WVWC and West Virginia MetroNews, the West Virginia Scholar Program is sponsored by Greer Industries, West Virginia Hospital Association, ZMM Architects and Engineers, Friends of Coal and the West Virginia Farm Bureau.