University of West Florida gets $500K endowment from prominent lawyer John W. Merting

John W. Merting. Image via Facebook.

The University of West Florida (UWF) got a $500,000 contribution this week that led to the establishment of the John W. Merting Family Office of Research and Intellectual Growth.

John Merting was a maritime lawyer for more than 50 years and had his own law firm in North Florida. He’s a Pensacola native who has served on many boards and causes in the local area and has contributed to multiple nonprofits in the Panhandle area.

He said he felt compelled to provide the financial gift to UWF.

“I chose to support our hometown University, which is a very big part of our community and one so many are part of and so proud of,” Merting said. “I also wanted to help UWF gain another Fulbright Scholar and nominate its first Rhodes Scholar. Such high-profile scholarships are another metric that help raise the visibility and stature of a university.”

The new office established at UWF will be based in the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. The purpose of the office is to help students and faculty at UWF to compete for top-dollar and academically prestigious fellowships and scholarships.

While Merting is happy to provide the financial gift to UNF, he said, by design, the new office will encourage ongoing financial contributions.

“Since our family’s gift is an endowment, any others wishing to assist in the goals are encouraged to donate to the UWF Foundation for the John W. Merting Family Office of Research and Intellectual Growth. This endowment is intended to be a source of permanent financial support for the brightest scholars in the U.S. and their recruitment and preparation for the arduous pathway to obtaining either Fulbright or Rhodes Scholarships,” Merting said.

While Merting said he’s proud to support the university in his hometown, he is an academic product of Florida State University, where he obtained his undergraduate degree. He then earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

He retired from his law practice in 2024.