Created to provide financial assistance for future students, the scholarship reflects Moody’s gratitude for the support she received as a student and her desire to extend that same opportunity to others.
“Without my parents’ lifetime of sacrifice, guidance, and support, I would not have had the opportunity to attend Catawba College and meet many of my life’s goals,” Moody said. “With this scholarship, I recognize Raymond and Louise Moody as part of the larger community of individuals, families, religious groups, businesses, and partners who help support students’ financial needs.”
The rising cost of a college education and the debt many students carry after graduation make scholarship support more important than ever. For students who need assistance, she emphasized, accepting help can be both a practical need and an act of courage.
“I was one of those students who had the courage to say, ‘I need help,’” she said. “I brought a proven record of a good work ethic, in scholastics as well as in a part-time job, but not deep pockets to fund my dreams. Many prospective students face this challenge now more than ever.”
Catawba is credited by her for strengthening the sense of purpose she brought with her to college. Through scholarships, work-study opportunities, and a future teacher loan, she had the opportunity to learn from dedicated professors and practical teaching experiences. This established the foundation she needed for a successful and rewarding 33-year career in education.
“My years at Catawba helped me strengthen the sense of purpose I arrived with as I started college and my adult life,” Moody explained. “The aid that Catawba offered through scholarships, a work-study program, and loan information provided the financial foundation I needed to learn from professors and grow through practical teaching experiences. This led to a successful and rewarding career in education.”
Throughout her career, Moody served in various roles, but her purpose remained constant: doing what was best for children and supporting those who worked with them. When asked what she did, she said she always answered with pride, “I am/was a teacher.”
In reflection, she remembers several Catawba faculty and staff members whose influence shaped her path. Among them were Dr. Martha Kirkland West, a professor, devoted to teacher training, who later served as a mentor during her early years in teaching, and Dr. Betty Sell, director of services at Catawba’s Corriher-Linn-Black Library, who supervised Moody through the College’s work-study program.
Sell encouraged her to take on leadership responsibilities in the library, including helping organize and catalog the library’s record collection so audio resources could be more accessible to faculty and students. Moody later received Catawba’s Frances Wentz Award for 1973-1974 and was inspired to complete her Master of Library Science in 1981.
“Dr. Martha Kirkland West helped me achieve my childhood dream of becoming a teacher and served as a mentor to me during my beginning years in education,” Moody said. “Dr. Betty Sell opened my eyes to new dreams and opportunities for the future by providing leadership responsibilities that helped me grow the skills I would need for future success.”
The Raymond and Louise Moody Endowed Scholarship will continue Moody’s commitment to education by helping Catawba students pursue their own goals with greater financial support. For her, the gift is both a tribute to her parents and a reflection of the help she once received.
“To take some liberty with powerful words: Do unto others as was done for you,” Moody said. “The value of a hand, not necessarily out, but instead to help lift someone up, is rewarding to all. I find it usually even more rewarding to the giver than the receiver.”
The scholarship will provide lasting support for Catawba students and will stand as an enduring recognition of Raymond and Louise Moody’s legacy of sacrifice, guidance, and care.
“Scholarships have a lasting effect because they create opportunity for students today while honoring the people and values that shaped the donor’s life,” said Meg Dees, vice president of advancement at Catawba College. “Jane’s gift is a meaningful tribute to her parents and a generous investment in future Catawba students.”
To learn more about how to support Catawba College or establish a new endowed fund or scholarship, please contact Catawba’s Office of Advancement at 704.637.4394.
About Where Our Good Goes
Where Our Good Goes is Catawba College’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, designed to expand opportunities for students, enhance academic and campus life, and strengthen the College’s impact on communities near and far. Grounded in Catawba’s mission of scholarship with character and culture for service, the campaign reflects the College’s enduring belief that when we invest in students today, their good will go far tomorrow. For more information about the Where Our Good Goes campaign, visit catawba.edu/whereourgoodgoes.
