Mesaros Endowed Lectureship
Mesaros Lectureship History
The Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros Endowed Lectureship in Dentistry was established in 1993 by a generous planned gift of $100,000 from the late Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros. Dr. Laura Mesaros made a direct $30,000 endowment gift to help provide annual support. These gifts to the West Virginia University School of Dentistry reflect their lifelong commitment to primary care.
Dr. Paul Mesaros medical education began at WVU. He graduated with a pre-med A.B. in 1939 and went on to earn his medical degree from Case Western Reserve in Ohio. Dr. Laura Mesaros earned her medical degree from the University of Michigan. Their decision to establish The Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros Endowed Lectureship in Dentistry, and a similar lectureship at the WVU School of Medicine, grew out of Dr. Paul Mesaro's early education at WVU.
Dr. Paul Mesaros was born and raised in the steel town of Follansbee, West Virginia, while Dr. Laura Mesaros grew up in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Both witnessed positive results of aiding and comforting others in need as children of the Great Depression. Some might say that this first-hand experience inspired them to enter the field of medicine. They practiced family medicine throughout the areas of Weirton and Steubenville. Paul handled surgery; Laura internal medicine. Their practice thrived for more than 40 years, from 1949 through 1991 when they retired.
Reason For Giving
After a lifetime of providing aid through their professions, the couple continues to give through their gifts. Dr. Paul Mesaros said of their motivation; “The practice of medicine has been very rewarding for us. We wanted to give something back to advance the profession and medical education.”
Dr. Laura echoed his sentiments adding; “It was important to us that our gift help to promote family medicine and family dentistry, because we know what a difference good primary care can make.”
Spendable income from the endowed lectureships in medicine and dentistry allows the schools to bring to the campus distinguished members of the health professions to lecture in fields of current interest and development.
The WVU School of Dentistry appreciates the arrangement that the late Drs. Paul and Laura Mesaros made for the benefit of dental education at the School of Dentistry now and in the years to come.
Mesaros Legacy
Dr. Andrew Mesaros, Jr., D.D.S. is the nephew of Dr. Paul and Laura Mesaros. His father, Dr. Andrew Mesaros, Sr., D.D.S., was a brother of Dr. Paul Mesaros. Andrew Mesaros, Jr. often traveled to Morgantown to bring his father to the lecture or symposium over the years and after the deaths of the donors. Following the loss of his father, Mesaros, Jr. attended the 2019 seminar representing the family. "I'm overwhelmed and happy to see it continue. My entire family was wrapped up in healthcare. I've been exposed to it my entire life. Paul and Laura would be very pleased and my dad as well," Mesaros, Jr. said at the recent symposium.
