William Carey University announces the William K. Ray College of Health Sciences – re-naming the college in honor of the Hattiesburg businessman and philanthropist’s long service and support for the university.
“The Asbury Foundation, led by William Ray, has provided support to so many institutions in our community. He is an example of the dedicated individuals who make Hattiesburg such a wonderful place,” said WCU President Dr. Tommy King.
Ray arrived in Hattiesburg in 1977 as president and chief executive officer of Methodist Hospital, now known as Wesley Medical Center. During two decades of service, he led the relocation of the hospital to West Hattiesburg and stimulated the growth of the city in that direction. His affiliation with William Carey University began in 1990, when he became a member of the WCU Board of Trustees. He currently serves as board chairman.
The sale of Wesley Health System in 1997, and reallocation of its assets, enabled the creation of the Asbury Foundation – a private grant-making organization supporting education and health initiatives to improve the quality of life for people in Hattiesburg and the surrounding area. In his role as president and chief executive officer, Ray has supported hundreds of local organizations and causes.
Service and supportWilliam Carey University has been a beneficiary of the foundation’s generosity on many occasions.
Under Ray’s leadership, the Asbury Foundation was among the first donors to offer support after an EF3 tornado swept through WCU’s Hattiesburg campus in January 2017. Six buildings were destroyed outright or damaged so heavily they had to be demolished. One of the tornado recovery construction projects was Asbury Academic Building, dedicated in October 2018.
“Somebody asked me one day, do you miss health care and running hospitals? No, I said, it’s a lot easier to give money away than to make it,” Dr. Ray said at the dedication ceremony.
“As I look around campus with all the new additions and see what William Carey University has been able to accomplish academically, I can say it’s a real blessing to the state. I appreciate William Carey and this community appreciates William Carey.”
More recently, the Asbury Foundation awarded funding for a health sciences building under construction at the intersection of Tuscan Avenue and Cherry Street. The largest facility ever built by WCU, it will be the home of the William K. Ray College of Health Sciences and house the university’s nursing, physical therapy, health information management, and health administration and education programs. It is set to open in summer 2021.
“On behalf of Dr. Janet Williams and the College of Health Sciences, we would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Ray and the Asbury Foundation for their continued support. They have been an integral part of helping our programs achieve local, state, and national recognition. We look forward to future growth in the College of Health Sciences as we work to improve health outcomes in our area,” said Dr. Alicia Lundstrom, dean of the WCU School of Nursing.
The Asbury Foundation’s support for the university reaches far into the past.
In fall 2000, the foundation awarded a grant to WCU for the construction of Fail-Asbury Hall, which houses the Joseph and Nancy Fail School of Nursing. In 2007, another nursing grant enhanced learning technology and added more classrooms and lab space.
As the WCU College of Osteopathic Medicine worked toward a 2010 opening, the Asbury Foundation stepped forward with a large grant for the construction of the Asbury Administrative Center, which contains offices of the WCUCOM deans, administrative staff, and faculty.
Over the years, the Asbury Foundation has also provided funding for an array of scholarships, including awards for students from the College of Osteopathic Medicine and health-related programs. Ray has supported Carey Dinner Theatre, Norma W. Sullivan Endowed Scholarship in Theatre, International Student Help Fund, McWhorter Piano Lab, and other projects.
Honors and achievementsRay has received numerous awards and recognitions, including Healthcare Executive of the Year, Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, the Clarksdale Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, Executive of the Year by Hattiesburg Sales and Marketing Professionals, the prestigious Hub Award, and South Mississippi’s Top 10 Business Leaders in 2005. He is chairman of the Laurel Regional Airport Authority Board and a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Ray attended Delta State University for two years and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University. He also earned a diploma in hospital administration from the University of Alabama. He served four years in the United States Marine Corps.
Heavily involved in church-related activities, Ray has served as a deacon, chair of deacons, and on the finance committee, long-range planning committee, and building committee at Venture Church of Hattiesburg. He is also a member of the board of directors for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the Pine Belt area.
Ray is married to the former Chalie Ann Carroll, Miss Mississippi 1962. They have two daughters, Robin D’Nev Martin and Jennifer Keri Galey, and six grandchildren.
