June 11, 2025
A new scholarship at the Northwest Missouri State University honoring the deep roots of a couple in Maryville and the association with the University will help students pursue the diplomas of the Melvin D. and the Valorie G. Booth School of Business.
Rebecca Summa Sullivan, member of Board of Directors of the Northwest FoundationRecently created the John and Virginia Summa scholarship to honor his parents, who attended and met in Northwest.
Sullivan has promised a gift totaling $ 25,000 in the next five years, and the stock market stock fund remains open and capable of receiving additional contributions. A scholarship of at least $ 1,000 will be awarded each year to a full-time student from the northwest student a major Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business.
“I wanted to devote this scholarship to my parents – not only for their love and dedication to Northwest and their belief in the importance of good education, but also to honor the sacrifices they have made to make a good education a reality for their children and grandchildren,” said Sullivan. “They have sacrificed a lot for me and my brothers and sisters, and it is humiliating for me to be able to set up a scholarship on their behalf. Having parents who educate their children a priority is gold. ”
John and Virginia Summa
While the members of the Summa family who attended the northwest now extend over six generations, their affinity for the institution began with the parents of Sullivan. John Summa was born in Gentry, Missouri, and graduated from Albany high school, while his wife, Virginia Wilmes, was born in Maryville and graduated from Maryville high school.
They met in Northwest in 1946. John was a member of the Phi Sigma Epsilon brotherhood and worked in the palms. Virginia was a member of Sigma Sigma Sorority and worked in Della’s Dress Shop. They got married to the Catholic church St. Patrick in July 1948.
After graduating from Northwest in 1950 with a Baccalaureate of Sciences in Economy Economy Education and School of Officers of Officer in San Antonio, Texas, John joined the American Air Force Investigation Office. His career brought him to all regions of the world on classified missions which also included at least a few times in security teams protecting President Lyndon Johnson.
John and Virginia raised six children, Rebecca being the oldest. Although they lived in the United States, the family frequently returned to Maryville when John had an assignment abroad.
“Whenever he obtained a mission abroad, it would be in a very dangerous place, and we always returned to Maryville because it was home,” said Sullivan.
In the fall of 1966, the Summas bought a house on West Third Street, about one pâté de Maisons du campus north-west, and made it the permanent house of the family. Sullivan remains grateful for the many experiences she had by growing up in Maryville – and how the northwest and the value of obtaining an education affected her as a young girl.
When Ida Summa, John’s mother, continued her baccalaureate at an age later, she often brought Sullivan – then about 5 years – to class sessions.
“She led Gentry to graduate,” recalls Sullivan. “She told me how important it was, and she picked up these ladies throughout the way for Maryville so that they can go to school and work on their diplomas in summer. They were teachers during the winter, and that made me an incredible impression as a child. ”
After retiring as a major in the Air Force, John became a loan officer at Nodaway Valley Bank, where Virginia was already responsible for deposit certificates. The Summas were also active in the community of Maryville as members of the Catholic church St. Gregory and Maryville Country Club.
Although John died in 2000, Virginia continued to live in the family home on West Third Street until his death in 2019.
“They loved Maryville,” said Sullivan. “It was always at home, despite the fact that we lived everywhere else. It was always the place where we were going to come back, and it was so true for Northwest too. ”
For his part, Sullivan attended the northwest from 1969 to 1973 and was a member of Sigma Sigma Sorority before completing its baccalaureate lessons at the Avila College of Kansas City, Missouri.
Now retired, she continued a successful career in the insurance sector which lasted 45 years. She has spent the last 30 years of her career as the main vice-president and head of health at Lockton Companies, the largest private insurance brokerage firm.
She remained closely linked to Northwest and joined the board of directors of the Northwest Foundation in 2023.
“I credit the North West, my education in a small town, my parents’ work ethics – all this – for taking me from a job where I did not do a lot of money to a job where I really had a lot of responsibility,” said Sullivan. “I learned by growing up in a small town of the importance of working with people and getting along with people.”
To support the John and Virginia Summa scholarship, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/giveonline or give a gift to another northwest fund by contacting the university advancement office at 660.562.1248 or advance@nwmissouri.edu.