Reid & Neal Leadership Scholarship supports incoming Eagles
The Morehead State University Foundation is honored to announce the creation of the Reid & Neal Leadership Scholarship and the scholarship's first recipient.
J. Richard Reid (Class of 2006) and Dr. Heidi Hassel Neal (Class of 2005) are proud Eagles who are passionate about seeing others commit to an MSU journey. For the couple, it is a family affair. Reid's parents, Greg (Class of 1978) and Becky Reid (Class of 1978), graduated from MSU. Neal's sister, Colby, also attended MSU.
While at Morehead State, Reid was an active Theta Chi Fraternity and Student Government Association (SGA) member. Following his time at MSU, he attended law school at Appalachian State University in Virginia and now practices law in Maysville.
Neal was a member of Delta Gamma sorority and the Student Government Association. After graduation, Neal earned a master's degree from East Tennessee State University and began a career in higher education, specifically enrollment services. In 2020, she earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and organizational development from the University of Louisville, where she served for several years leading admissions efforts for the J.B. Speed School of Engineering.
In 2022, she had the opportunity to return home, accepting the position of assistant vice president of enrollment management at MSU. In her role, she leads a team of enrollment and financial aid counselors, recruiting the next generation of MSU Eagles.
The couple created the Reid & Neal Leadership Scholarship in 2023 to cement their commitment to MSU further. The fund supports incoming first-year students pursuing a bachelor's degree, with preference given to students from Nicholas County. Additionally, the recipient must hold leadership accolades from high school.
Isaiah Johnson, an exercise science major from Carlisle, is the first scholarship recipient for the 2023-24 academic year.
"I loved my time at MSU," said Neal. "It was the best four years of my life, and I'm honored to play a role in helping other students have that same experience."
"We are passionate about Morehead and the community," Reid adds. "Supporting a scholarship was an easy decision for us."
For more information on this scholarship or to create your own, contact MSU's Office of Alumni Relations & Development by calling 606-783-2033 or emailing giving@moreheadstate.edu.
Photo: J. Richard Reid (center left) and Dr. Heidi Hassel Neal (center right), assistant vice president of enrollment management at Morehead State, pictured with their family. The couple recently created the Reid & Neal Leadership Scholarship to support MSU students.
