FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009
Contact:
Dave Wellman, Director
of Communications, (304)
696-7153
CSX presents gift of $50,000
to Marshall University for
‘Bucks for Brains;’
funds will further
transportation research by
RTI
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – CSX Corporation today presented $50,000 to Marshall University as part of West Virginia’s “Bucks for Brains” initiative.
Dr. Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., accepted the gift during a check presentation at the Nick J. Rahall II Appalachian Transportation Institute (RTI). The contribution will further transportation research conducted by the RTI through Rail-SORCE (Railroad Safety and Operations Research Center of Excellence).
“This contribution recognizes the outstanding work of the Rahall Institute and Marshall University,” said Michael Ward, chairman and CEO of CSX Corporation. “The institute’s research is playing an important role in helping railroads advance technology that will be needed in 21st century railroading. CSX is proud of its long and cooperative relationships with the institute, the university and the greater Huntington community.”
Dr. Richard Begley, Director of Research for RTI, said it is significant that CSX gave the money through the “Bucks for Brains” initiative because the investment will be matched by the state.
“It’s an excellent way to double the money and leverages the federal railroad research funds that Senator Robert Byrd has obtained, and continues to obtain, for RTI,” Begley said. “This gift will help jumpstart the transportation engineering research component of ‘Bucks for Brains’ and complement the other investments in engineering that our President and his administration have secured for Marshall in the last few years.”
Area said, “It is great to see companies like CSX step up and support not only the Rahall Transportation Institute, Marshall University and the community, but also Governor Manchin’s ‘Bucks for Brains’ program. At the Marshall University Foundation, we are pleased with the success we have achieved thus far with our ‘Bucks for Brains’ fundraising and will have more announcements in the very near future.”
The “Bucks for Brains” initiative, also known as the Research Trust Fund, was passed by the West Virginia Legislature last year. It allocates $15 million to Marshall University and $35 million to West Virginia University as a research endowment trust fund to be matched by contributions from each institution’s foundation.
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