Wright Family Athletes Mean Business Scholarship

Applicants for the Scholarship:
A. Must be an athlete participating in NCAA, Club Sports, or Mountain Sports and
maintaining the academic standards for eligibility
B. Pursuing a major or minor in the School of Business, preference given to students
pursuing a major in the School of Business
C. Comes from a single-parent family
D. The student recipient may reapply to the Wright Family- Athletes Mean Business
Scholarship annually, preference will be given to prior recipient(s) under the
requirement they maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher

The Wright Family Athletes Mean Business Scholarship was established in 2022 to provide scholarship assistance to Western Colorado University athletes that grew up in a single-parent family pursuing a major or minor in the School of Business. This scholarship was founded by a proud Western alum, David Wright. From the class of ’88, David graduated from the School of Business with a BA in Business Administration. He was also an athlete, representing Western on the golf course. Even though Western no longer houses a golf team, he is glad that the Wright Family Athletes Mean Business Scholarship can benefit talented business students in other sports programs.

David grew up in a single-parent family, never knowing his father, “My mother did a remarkable job raising me, but the financial burden was significant,” David mentioned, “she always emphasized the importance of education as well as the lessons learned through athletics- hard work, commitment, resilience, the ability to handle disappointment and what it takes to win. When you think about it, this is a description of how life works.” David credits Western for providing him with an excellent, relevant education and valuable life experiences. Because of his scholarship, he was able to pursue golf alongside his academics.

David has now been married for 30 years to his wife, Kathy and has two boys. Their family loves to visit the Gunnison Valley, Crested Butte and the WCU campus. David’slove and passion for Western have only grown since he graduated from student to alumni. He has been a supporter of Western Athletics and the MBA Mentorship program and continues to pursue ways to support future Mountaineers through the Wright Family Athletes Mean Business Scholarship.
“Life is full of challenges and things that will be out of your control. And, it is pointless to focus on things that you cannot control. But, you control your responses to those circumstances and have a choice: you can use these challenges or circumstances as an anchor (something that holds you back) or you can use them as fuel (something that propels you forward). This scholarship is for those who choose to let it be fuel. Choose to be energized when you are underestimated, treated unfairly or when circumstances are difficult. Anybody can wilt under pressure but winners (Mountaineers) find a way! This goes for academics as well as athletics.” ,David Wright