McDowell Technical Community College is proud to announce that the Kim Ledbetter Memorial Scholarship has reached endowed status, ensuring that the legacy of the college’s former Director of Financial Aid and Veteran’s Affairs will continue to support students for generations to come.
Established in 2022 through the McDowell Tech Foundation to honor Kim’s life and dedication to students, the scholarship recently surpassed the $20,000 threshold required to become an endowed fund. In recognition of the fifth anniversary of Kim’s passing, her husband, David Ledbetter, and retired McDowell Tech employee Rev. Don Ford made a final $2,000 contribution to bring the fund’s current value to $20,613.24.
Endowed scholarships are invested so that a portion of the earnings is awarded each year while the principal remains intact, allowing the scholarship to provide ongoing support in perpetuity. The Kim Ledbetter Memorial Endowed Scholarship will begin awarding assistance in Fall 2026.
“Working alongside David and Don over the years has been incredibly meaningful,” said Madalyn Gaito, Executive Director of Advancement & Special Projects. “Their commitment to honoring Kim’s legacy goes far beyond establishing a scholarship. Together, we have been intentional about growing this fund toward an endowed scholarship so Kim’s passion for helping students, especially those facing the greatest financial challenges, can live on for generations.”
The scholarship reflects Kim’s lifelong commitment to removing barriers to education. During her time at McDowell Technical Community College, she worked tirelessly to help students navigate financial aid and identify resources to make college possible. She also championed the college’s food pantry, volunteering her time to help students facing food insecurity. In recognition of her service, the campus pantry was later renamed the Kim Ledbetter Food Pantry.
Her dedication to students extended well beyond the workday and into every part of her life.
“Many evenings, Kim would call to say she was going to be late coming home because she was helping a student,” said her husband, David Ledbetter. “Supper came late a lot of nights, but I knew she wasn’t coming home until she had done everything she could to help that student.”
David said Kim’s care for students was widely recognized throughout the community. “People would come up to me at the factory where I worked and ask, ‘Do you know Kim Ledbetter at McDowell Tech? She is so sweet and kind. She really helped me out in my classes and with Financial Aid.’”
He also recalled how her concern for students’ well-being extended beyond financial assistance. Kim and David often shopped together, making sure the campus food pantry stayed stocked with needed items.
Outside of work, Kim was deeply devoted to her family, church, and community. She enjoyed camping, loved her dog Cindy Lou, and was active at Mt. Home Baptist Church in Morganton, where she helped with youth devotionals, Bible studies, and meal preparation. She is survived by her daughters, Michelle and Megan, her grandson Jaxon, and her granddaughter Ella, whom she never had the opportunity to meet.
Rev. Don Ford, a retired McDowell Tech employee and longtime colleague and friend, said Kim’s service was grounded in her faith and reflected in her daily actions.
“Kim Ledbetter was like a sister to me and a sister in Christ,” Ford said. “Her faith was evident in how she lived and in the way she cared for colleagues, students, and everyone she met.”
Ford noted that Kim’s leadership and energy were evident in many areas of campus life. She spearheaded the McDowell Tech Food Pantry and co-chaired the college’s Relay for Life team for several years, helping raise funds for cancer research.
“David and I wanted to honor Kim’s life of giving and unselfish service by establishing this scholarship,” Ford said. “We are grateful for the many contributions that have been made, and it is our privilege to endow the scholarship on the fifth anniversary of her passing so it can continue helping students for years to come.”
Colleagues remember Kim as a kind and compassionate advocate whose warm spirit, generosity, and dedication ensured that students in need always had someone fighting for their success.
“Kim Ledbetter embodied the heart of McDowell Technical Community College,” said Dr. J.W. Kelley, President of McDowell Technical Community College. “She believed deeply that financial hardship should never stand in the way of education, and she worked every day to help students overcome those obstacles. This endowed scholarship ensures that her compassion, her advocacy, and her belief in our students will continue to make a difference for years to come.”
The Kim Ledbetter Memorial Endowed Scholarship will be awarded annually to an incoming freshman who is a single parent and receives little or no financial assistance from other sources. The award helps cover tuition, fees, and textbooks during a student’s first semester, easing a critical barrier at the start of their college journey. Preference will be given to a single parent enrolled in the Social and Human Services program, though the scholarship may be awarded to qualified students in other programs if needed.
The establishment of this endowment also serves as a model for how community members, employees, and families can grow a scholarship over time until it reaches permanent status, creating lasting impact for future students.
Individuals who wish to honor Kim’s legacy and support student success are invited to contribute to the scholarship through the McDowell Tech Foundation at:
https://mcdowelltech.networkforgood.com/projects/129939-kim-ledbetter-memorial-scholarship-campaign
For more information about scholarships or giving opportunities, please visit:
https://www.mcdowelltech.edu/foundation
