A World of Possibility and Promise

Roy Smith and his wife pose in front of a lake alongside a portrait of Roy when he was a college student.

Working hard for success. That’s what motivated Roy Smith ’52, ’60 (M.A.), ’63 (Ph.D.) to pursue three degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill. Smith’s said his hardscrabble youth inspired him and his wife, Mary Alice, to support others in their journey to achieve what he achieved during his time at UNC.

The couple established the Roy and Mary Alice Smith Fellowship Endowed Fund through The Graduate School to support future generations of students pursuing graduate degrees in chemistry.

“If it were not for the University, I would not be able to make this contribution at this point in time. It’s just as straightforward as that,” Smith said. “I’m proud of the work that I’ve been able to do. It was always my goal to give something back; that fund will go in perpetuity, and that means so much.”

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