Remembering “Chatty Hattie” Leeper
The late Hattie Leeper devoted her life to breaking barriers and inspiring generations as a broadcasting pioneer. Better known as her beloved radio persona, “Chatty Hattie,” Leeper added another honor to her storied career in October 2025 when she was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. An Edgemoor, S.C., native,…
Local Law Firm Proudly Staffed by Gaston College Alumni
Stott, Hollowell, Windham & Stancil, PLLC, with offices in Gastonia and Mount Holly, is a standout example of the impact Gaston College’s Paralegal Technology program has on the local workforce. The firm is home to five program alumni: attorney Joy Chappell and paralegals Sara Parker, Paige Reel, Kimber Thomas, and Taylor Dillingham, highlighting the strong…
The Inspiration Behind the Martin-Barbour Veterinary Technology Endowed Scholarship
For decades, Joan Martin and Jeff Barbour have called Gaston County home and have actively supported the community. Their passion for helping others shows in their love for animals, especially cats, and their commitment to student education. Throughout their lives, they have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact scholarships can create, opening doors of opportunity and…
Student Body President Reflects on Gaston’s Impact
When Buddy Ashe began at Gaston College in the fall of 1964, he couldn’t have imagined how it would lead to academic success for himself and his family. “Gaston College is a great thing for our community,” Ashe said. “It really is.” A recent graduate of Frank L. Ashley High School, Buddy was just 18 when he…
Gaston’s Eighth President: Dr. Patricia Skinner
In 1994, Dr. Patricia Skinner became Gaston College’s first female president. Upon her retirement in March 2020, she became the longest-tenured president in the school’s history. Skinner led Gaston College through significant technological advancements during her time at Gaston. “That’s the biggest change,” Skinner told the N.C. Community College ednc.org website just before her retirement….
Gaston’s Seventh President: Paul Berrier
When President Scott retired, Gaston College turned to a familiar face for interim leadership. Paul Berrier, a staff member since 1974, stepped into the role. He started at the college as Gaston’s director of campus development, later becoming vice president for human relations and vice president of administrative services. Berrier served as interim president from…
Gaston’s Sixth President: Wayne Scott
Wayne Scott’s journey from NASA physicist to Gaston College’s sixth president was somewhat of an unconventional path in higher education leadership. Scott, a Chattanooga native, earned degrees from the University of Chattanooga, William & Mary, and Ohio State before his tenure at NASA from 1962 to 1965. At Langley Field, he contributed to shield development…
Gaston’s Fifth President: Robert Howard
Dr. Robert Howard stepped into the role of Gaston College president in August 1979, following Dr. Joseph Mills’ resignation that May. Initially serving as “acting” president, Howard officially took the helm on August 27, 1979. A Charlotte native, Howard moved to Gastonia at age 5 in 1924. He pursued his education at Mars Hill Junior…
Remembering Marshall Rauch
Few people in state history have touched as many lives as Marshall Arthur Rauch before his death this week at 102. A native of Manhattan, N.Y., he moved to North Carolina in 1940 to play basketball at Duke University, where he met his wife when they were both 17 years old. He became a popular…
Trustee Spotlight: Dr. Bobbie Rowland
Women’s History Month is the perfect opportunity to honor one of the school’s female pioneers, former longtime Gaston College trustee Dr. Bobbie Haynes Rowland. A 1951 graduate of UNC Greensboro, Rowland was named Professor Emeritus of Child and Family Development at UNC Charlotte after her 37-year tenure at that school ended, Rowland was Gaston College’s…