President Bailey Receives Award from Alma Mater
President Bailey is handed Western Carolina University's Professional Achievement Award by Alumni Association President Eric Powell.
President K. Ray Bailey was presented with Western Carolina University's Professional Achievement Award at the Chancellor's Alumni Awards Ceremony Oct. 18.
"President Bailey is perceived by many of his colleagues as the most effective and outstanding president within the 58-member North Carolina Community College System," said Eric Powell, president of Western's Alumni Association.
Among the accomplishments cited at the presentation was President's Bailey's aquisition of nearly 37 acres and three buildings containing 277,000 square feet of space from BASF for the Enka Site. This addition to A-B Tech is estimated to boost the local economy by up to $3 million annually.
President Bailey was also recognized for his contributions as a community leader. He serves on numerous local boards, including the Buncombe Economic Development Commission, chairman of the MAHEC Board, Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, chairman of the Western North Carolina Communities Board, and the United Way Board. He was chosen as the 2001-2002 Partners in Education Volunteer of the Year.
President Bailey earned his master's degree in educational administration from Western in 1970.
Food and Funds Served at A-B Tech Foundation Scholarship Luncheon
A-B Tech scholarship recipients June Ingle, Jessie Decker, and Vivian Cunningham pose with PTK Advisors Tina Fountain (far left) and Robin Wiggins (far right).
They dream of owning a business, becoming a hospice nurse, teaching elementary school students, working as a dental hygienist, managing building projects, and becoming a psychologist.
Their average GPA is 3.7. Eighty-five percent of them are females, and 70 percent are employed. All of them possess a desire to help others and the traits to be successful.
Twenty students were recognized at a luncheon prepared by the Hospitality Education Department in October to honor the A-B Tech Foundation's scholarship donors and the 2003-04 scholarship recipients.
President K. Ray Bailey thanked the contributors, and pointing to the college's mission statement, reminded them that as enrollment continues to increase, so does the need for scholarships.
Board Chair Jim Coman said support from donors helped the Foundation reach several milestones this past year, including the endowment of four new scholarships and awards to a record number of students. A legacy gift of $730,000 from Grace Joan Love Schneider will provide scholarships for generations of students to come, he said.
Anita Metcalf, executive director of the Foundation, spoke of the traits the scholarship recipients share - dependability, accountability, compassion, competence, perseverance, and intelligence.
She also read excerpts of thank you letters the recipients wrote to their sponsors. "'You ask why I deserve scholarship funds from the Foundation," one wrote. "I'm not in a position to say I am more or less deserving than others. I can tell you that I am following a path that was set before me .... If granted a scholarship, I can only assure you that it will, in turn, help more people than just me. There is a concept of 'pay it forward' that I truly believe happens in life. However my education is paid, this is the concept I plan to follow."
Another wrote: "My mother would also like me to send her thanks inside this letter because even though I am on my own, she still cannot afford to help me. My mother and I have had our fingers crossed for help, and we are very thankful that an angel has arrived."
The 2003-2004 Scholarship recipients are:
- Kathleen Aquilino - Grace Joan Love Schneider Endowed Scholarship
- Dana Bentley - H.D. and Kay Crews Endowed Scholarship
- Krystal Burriss - College Bridge Scholarship
- Vivian Cunningham - American Association of University Women Scholarship
- Jessica Decker - Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
- Dale Fletcher - STG, Inc. Scholarship
- Ingrid Freeman - Foundation Scholar Scholarship
- David Hawkins - UnitedHealthcare Endowed Scholarship
- Roseann Iacovazzi - North Carolina Retired School Personnel Scholarship
- June Ingle - Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
- David Jones, III - Lacy T. Haith and James V. Miller Endowed Scholarship
- Jessica Jones - Grace Joan Love Schneider Endowed Scholarship
- Ernie MacDaniel - Joseph Dave Engineering Endowed Scholarship
- Amy Massey - Ruth Woodward Geddings Memorial Scholarship
- Misty McBride - Marie Love Cochrane Endowed Scholarship and Sara Ferguson Kirkpatrick Memorial Scholarship
- Teresa Payne - Altrusa International of Asheville Scholarship
- Shannon Riley - Children's Welfare League Endowed Scholarship
- Heath Smathers - Jessie Copp Kramer/Hominy Valley Endowed Scholarship
- Carol Somerton - Grimes-West Medical Laboratory Technology Endowed Scholarship
- Kelly Tantalo - Jessie Goforth Memorial Scholarship
