Bilpuh awarded Hull scholarship
The scholarship established in memory of Sgt. Eric Hull, killed in Iraq four years ago in August, seeks to honor students who have a strong commitment to furthering their education beyond high school. Hull’s parents, Ray and Debbie Hull of Uniontown, strongly believe in the value of education, and it was this belief that became the foundation for the reason their friends, business people of downtown Uniontown, decided to establish the Sgt. Eric Hull Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship carries on the memory of Eric Hull, a phenomenal chef and all-around person, according to Debbie Hull, and provides a local student with money for college each year.
Hull died at the age of 23 while a member of the United States Army Reserve when the military vehicle he was driving hit an improvised explosive device. Debbie Hull said her son was returning from the Iraq airport with food supplies for the soldiers.
“Our friends wanted to create a lasting memorial with the idea that my husband and I would take it over when we were able,” said Debbie Hull on the scholarship created shortly after her son’s death.
“Ray and I wanted our children to further their education, whether it was at a university, college or trade school, just as long as it was beyond high school,” she added.
Debbie Hull said Eric had gone to school at Westmoreland County Community College to fulfill a mission of becoming a chef, a goal he had since he was 7 years old.
She said he had been a chef at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa and trained under other well-known local chefs such as Jim Richey of the former Richey’s Barbara Joyce and the late Bernie Glad of the Lardin House Inn.
“He was one of the most phenomenal young men. He was never without a smile,” said Debbie Hull, noting her 6-month-old grandson, Eric’s nephew, Joshua, is a lot like his uncle in that he is always smiling.
A 1998 graduate of Uniontown Area High School, Eric left behind a wife, Missy; two children, Mia, 6, and Dominic, 4; and a sister, Ashley, who also is a member of the Army Reserve.
This year, the scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of Fayette County and supported through community donations, was given to sophomore West Virginia University pre-pharmacy major Belinda Bilpuh.
Bilpuh, a 2006 graduate of Albert Gallatin Area Senior High School, received a $250 award based on her 4.0 grade-point average and excellent high school grades, according to Clara Pascoe, executive director of the Community Foundation founded by the late Robert Eberly.
“We try to select the very finest to represent the people who have given, and Belinda exemplified a lot of the characteristics that we wanted to represent that scholarship,” said Pascoe.
At a recent check presentation, Bilpuh said on the award, “I’m very honored and actually kind of surprised. I didn’t apply for many scholarships while in high school.”
She said receiving a scholarship established in the memory of a young man who was killed in Iraq makes the award even more special. Bilpuh recently learned more about Eric’s life through his parents’ memories, an experience she said has affected her.
“I feel more sympathy toward the men and women fighting in Iraq. I had no connection to those fighting there, and now I do,” she said.
Bilpuh is the daughter of Richard and Rebecca Bilpuh of Masontown. She has a brother, Jason, who is a senior at California University of Pennsylvania.
Bob Garrett, director of marketing for the Community Foundation, said the Eric Hull scholarship is unique because it is a community-wide fund. Donors include friends of Eric who went to school or worked with him and friends of the family, said Garrett.
Garrett said the Community Foundation is trying to build the scholarship up to the endowment level to ensure the memorial fund is permanent. Reaching endowment status would also mean the Community Foundation could begin to match each donation. The foundation’s matching program matches $1 for every $3 donated.
Donations are accepted year-round. There’s no amount too large or too small, said Garrett.
“We would like the scholarship to continue to grow so it lives on as part of Eric’s legacy,” said Garrett.
To learn more about the Community Foundation, the Eric Hull Scholarship or to donate to the memorial fund, call the foundation at 724-437-8600, visit the Web site at www.cffayettepa.org or mail donations to the Community Foundation of Fayette County, 2 W. Main St., Suite 101, Uniontown, Pa., 15401. A message in the check memo line should indicate which fund the money is intended.