Former athletic training student establishes scholarship fund at WCU
Alumnus Ray Davis (center) reconnects with his mentor, former athletic trainer and interim athletics director Fred Cantler (left), and ex-Catamount quarterback Jeff Gilbert.
An acclaimed athletic trainer whose professional career began as a student on the sidelines at 91女神 has established an endowed scholarship fund that will help future students follow in his footsteps.
Lonnie Ray 鈥淪lim鈥 Davis Jr., a 1984 graduate of WCU with a bachelor's degree in health education, has made gifts and pledges totaling $30,000 to create a scholarship fund for students in the university鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree program in athletic training.
The fund includes a $25,000 commitment toward an endowment that will provide scholarship support in perpetuity and $5,000 in annual scholarships that will be awarded until the fund is fully endowed.
A first-generation college student, Davis established the Ray Davis Jr. 鈥84 Endowed Scholarship for Athletic Training in memory of his father, the late Ray 鈥淪togie鈥 Davis, in recognition of his unwavering support.
鈥淚 feel it is important to honor my dad through this scholarship based on him instilling a strong work ethic in me. My dad was a laborer and wanted the best for his only son. He, along with my mom, wanted a better life for me when I attended Western,鈥 Davis said.
鈥淢y dad was a strong believer in giving back to your roots. Western Carolina has led to my career in the athletic training profession, and I want students to have the same if not better career pathway as me,鈥 he said.
Recipients of scholarships supported by the fund must be enrolled in WCU鈥檚 master鈥檚 program in athletic training and be in good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Preference will be given to students who are residents of North Carolina.
鈥淢y goal is focused on supporting the next generation of health care professionals, allowing them to focus on their rigorous training, clinical rotations and studies without the burden of financial strain,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淭hese funds are intended to provide comprehensive benefits that go beyond tuition, aiding in personal, academic and professional development.鈥
That鈥檚 exactly how Ashley Thrasher, director of WCU鈥檚 graduate program in athletic training, envisions the endowed fund will be used.
鈥淭his scholarship will be very impactful for students to assist with affordability. As graduate students, many students are paying for their expenses by themselves. Also, our program includes full-time clinical education experiences, which makes it next to impossible to work while being enrolled in the program,鈥 Thrasher said.
鈥淭his gift will provide lasting support for athletic training students by expanding access to meaningful educational and professional opportunities. The fund will help reduce financial barriers that can limit students鈥 ability to fully engage in their education, allowing them to focus on developing the clinical skills, professional behaviors and critical thinking necessary for success in the profession,鈥 she said.
The fund also will support student professional development, conference attendance and other extracurricular opportunities beyond classroom and clinical settings.
鈥淏ecause the fund is endowed, its impact will extend far into the future, creating a sustainable source of support that will benefit generations of students,鈥 Thrasher said. 鈥淭his lasting investment strengthens the program and ensures that future athletic training students have access to the same high-quality preparation and professional opportunities that define our program here at WCU.鈥
Davis was an athletic training student during his time at WCU, gaining hands-on experience working with the Catamount athletics program. He credits Fred Cantler, retired athletic trainer who also served as interim director of athletics at WCU, with shaping his career.
鈥淲ithin the first week of arriving on campus, I was asked to take on a role under Fred鈥檚 leadership that allowed me to work with men鈥檚 soccer and football,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淔red taught me the skills that I have used in my athletic training career. Throughout my four years, I was allowed to work and travel with all athletic teams鈥 practices and games.鈥
After graduating from WCU, Davis went on to earn his master鈥檚 degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy in 1986. He served as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and Washington and Lee University before moving into middle and secondary education, including Apex High, West Lake Middle, John A. Holmes High and Southeast Guilford High schools.
His career includes stints with the National AAU Junior Olympics and IBM Fitness Center and Marriott Corporation. Davis also was the head athletic trainer with the Harlem Globetrotters and Washington Generals.
He has been inducted into the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers鈥 Association (MAATA) and North Carolina Athletic Trainers鈥 Association (NCATA) halls of fame, and he earned 25-year service awards from both NCATA and the National Athletic Trainers鈥 Association.
Davis is a member of the advisory board for WCU鈥檚 College of Health and Human Sciences, representing athletic training, and he has served as a preceptor and guest lecturer in the program. In recognition of his professional achievements, he was a 2025 honorary inductee in WCU鈥檚 Athletics Hall of Fame.
Thrasher said the contribution to her program is especially meaningful coming from an alumnus who began his journey in the profession as an athletic training student at WCU.
鈥淗is experience reflects the transformative impact that hands-on education and mentorship at WCU can have on students鈥 professional development. The fact that he has chosen to give back demonstrates a deep appreciation for the role the university played in shaping his career and underscores the lasting connection alumni maintain with the institution,鈥 she said.
鈥淗is support not only honors the opportunities he received but also helps ensure that future athletic training students can benefit from the same strong foundation, mentorship and experiential learning that launched his career,鈥 Thrasher said.
Davis鈥 father, who died in 2013, had a 52鈥憏ear career in plumbing, heating, pipefitting, air鈥慶onditioning, pneumatic controls and welding 鈥 including work on multiple U.S. nuclear power plants. He retired after 23 years as a maintenance mechanic in the facilities operations department of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for all that WCU has done for me in my professional career,鈥 said Davis, who hopes his gift will inspire others to contribute. 鈥淪trength in numbers should be our goal in giving gifts of all sizes. We need all alumni to participate and make a difference. This is about supporting our future generations of Catamounts in order for students to have access to the same high-quality, affordable education, with a strong focus on students in surrounding communities.鈥
Establishment of the scholarship comes as WCU is in the midst of its 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥 comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million for the university鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs. For more information or to make a contribution, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.