Kinston native Harriet Herring has a passion for many things--her family, life-long learning, nursing, fine music, to name a few. Encouraged by those passions, she has endowed three scholarships through the Lenoir Community College Foundation in the areas of horticulture, practical nursing, and associate degree nursing.
The W.I. Herring, Sr. Horticulture Scholarship memorializes her father’s love of the land and farming. The Harriet Taylor Herring RN and LPN Scholarships reflect Ms. Herring's interest in the nursing professions.
Those who knew Ms Herring's father would find it appropriate to remember him and his contributions by a scholarship. A native of Lenoir County, his life and career exemplified leadership in its commerce and development. The only son of a farmer and a teacher, he rode his bicycle down the railroad tracks to school. Like many of his contemporaries, he got his basic education by the seventh grade, and then went to work. He grew up farming, learning to manage and to plan. His experience led him into related businesses: Central and New Central Tobacco warehouses; Oliver and Long Farm Equipment; and Herring Gas.
"He was described as a handshake-deal kind of guy and he was respected in the community," Ms. Herring said. "I can remember as a child going with him on the weekends to Swansboro to go floundering and crabbing. I loved to go with him."
He served as director of several banks and as deacon of the First Baptist Church. He was generous in his support of North Carolina Baptist colleges and the Baptist Children's Homes. "He was a man of vision, a square dealer, and a believer in the future of Lenoir County and its people," Ms. Herring said. "This scholarship in horticulture honors those qualities and his love of the land."
Ms. Herring chose to establish scholarships in the nursing fields because of her personal commitment to the profession. After graduating from Carteret and Craven Community Colleges School of Nursing, she spent eight years as a critical care nurse and later on staff at Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City as a floating nurse. Her experience with patients convinced her of the importance of skilled nursing to health care.
“Nursing care is essential to an adequate approach to modern medicine. These scholarships will encourage professional training for talented and dedicated members of the medical profession,” Ms. Herring said.
A woman of many talents and interests, she is a graduate of Salem College, the Julliard School of Music in New York, and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
Her interest in the arts is abiding. She has taught piano and judged for many years for the National Piano Auditions. She has traveled widely, much of the time in countries whose cultures were in transition toward the twentieth century.
"Challenges stimulate me," she said. "I consider myself a life-long learner. In this part of my career, I am enjoying life and the cultural and performing arts events in and around in Chapel Hill, where I live."
Page updated: November 20, 2006
Questions? Comments? Email the LCC Web Team