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The NAACP McDowell County Endowed Scholarship was established on January 25, 2022, with a $25,000 investment through the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. These funds were raised over several years through fundraising efforts and individual contributions by members of the NAACP of McDowell County.
The scholarship is need-based and supports tuition and fees for students enrolled in any academic program at McDowell Technical Community College, with preference given to residents of McDowell County.
In November 2025, the scholarship was renamed the Ray McKesson NAACP Endowed Scholarship to honor Mr. McKesson, who initiated the fund and worked tirelessly to build it to the endowed level. The name recognizes his decades of leadership, service, and commitment to expanding educational opportunity.