The Board of Trustees of McDowell Technical Community College, on recommendation from The MTCC Foundation’s Board of Directors, have named the main training room in the college’s Smith Building in honor of the NAACP McDowell County Chapter. At a recent installation ceremony, Ray McKesson, Chapter President, and members of the chapter’s executive board unveiled a wall plaque dedicating the large conference room in the chapter’s honor.
In announcing the dedication and naming, MTCC President Dr. Brian S. Merritt praised the NAACP for their leadership and support of the college, particularly with regard to the chapter’s support of student scholarships. “Thanks to gifts of over $28,000 from our friends at the NAACP, the college just awarded the first scholarship from the NAACP Endowed Scholarship Fund this past Fall. It is a legacy that will impact generations to come.”
The Chapter continues to do ongoing fundraising for the endowed scholarship fund and accepts donations from members and friends who share the group’s mission to increase access to higher education and improve socioeconomic mobility for unserved and underserved populations within the county.
Gloria Boyce: A Fundraising Leader
Gloria Boyce is the perfect example of a local NAACP Chapter member who has a quiet passion for higher education and is a fundraising leader for the endowed scholarship fund—but with a twist. “Gloria is one of those folks who works quietly behind the scenes, helping wherever she’s needed, but rarely gets the recognition she deserves for her efforts,” said McKesson, the Chapter President. “She also coordinates the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfasts which are sponsored by Mt. Zion AME Zion Church, as well as many chapter activities.”
Boyce has been a member of the local NAACP Chapter for many years, both when it was first chartered, and when it was reconstituted a few years ago after a period of inactivity. She is proud of the work the group has done, not only with regard to education, but also such things as helping people register to vote and encouraging people to participate in the elections process. In February, the group held a Black History Month program at McDowell Tech aimed at increasing awareness of black history among young people in the county. To increase participation among this age group, the planning committee for the program, of which Gloria is a member, filled the program with singing, dancing and skits—mediums that hold greater sway with young folks than lectures, discussions and such.
When the group started fundraising for the NAACP Scholarship at McDowell Tech about 5 years ago, Gloria quickly got involved. “I saw a need to be more involved in the community and making our community a better place to live,” she said. “I am a big fan of providing educational opportunities for our young people, and I feel that it’s something we need to stress more.”
“Our first big fundraisers were our pancake breakfasts at FATZ, when it was still open,” she said. From there, the group has looked to other avenues for fundraising, including direct donation efforts by many local members and friends from out-of-state.
Who is Gloria Boyce?
Gloria grew up in Marion and attended Mountain View, but graduated from Marion High School. She has two degrees from McDowell Tech, one in Secretarial Science and an associate’s degree in Business Administration. From there, she received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Gardner Webb University.
She worked at Drexel Heritage for 32 years until their closing. After that, she worked for 7 years at Broughton State Mental Hospital where she retired in 2014. At each place, she worked mostly in Human Resources, Payroll Administration and Professional Services-Psychology and Social Work (Broughton).
In addition to her work with the NAACP, Gloria has been a lifelong member of Mount Zion AME Zion Church and is active in her church. She has also been involved with West Marion Community Forum, a group that promotes people getting together for projects that benefit the greater community. She is a proud contributor to the Old Fort Mural project that honored a local civil rights pioneer, Albert Joyner. “I like to recognize people in the community who are good examples to our young people,” said Gloria.
Her Greatest Joy?
Gloria has been married to Larry Boyce for 56 years, and the couple has three children: Trina, Eric and Marques Boyce. She also has a stepson, Derraine Henry, and four grandchildren. Larry worked for Air Preheater for 19 years, before retiring from Baxter with 25 years of service.
Watching her kids grow up, get a good education and become active, productive members of society may be Gloria’s greatest joy. Marques served 22 years in the Air Force, got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is now a certified public accountant (CPA) with State Employee’s Credit Union in Raleigh. Trina also served in the Air Force and Navy before going back to school at Vanderbilt University to get her master’s degree in Nurse Practitioner studies. She practices and lives in Charlotte. Eric worked for the National Park Service at Cumberland Island, GA, served as Chief of Police at UNC-Asheville for 11 years and is now police chief at UNC-Greensboro. He also has his bachelor’s and master’s degree.
Gloria’s Advice to Young Folks
Gloria’s got a simple, straightforward piece of advice to young people for achieving success: work hard, be honest, get a good education, pursue your dreams and never give up. Education is at the core of her advice. It worked well for her, her children and it will work for others, she said.
“McDowell Tech is fortunate to have friends like Ray McKesson, Gloria Boyce and other members of the NAACP McDowell County Chapter,” said Dr. Merritt, the MTCC President. “Their tireless passion for education and improving the quality of life for people in McDowell County is evident from their ongoing support of scholarships for students at the college. We hope the NAACP Training Room in our Smith Building will be a lasting legacy that honors the vision, selfless dedication and hard work of NAACP members that will allow others to access higher education and achieve success and socioeconomic mobility for generations to come.”
