Mayor Walker Reid III Scholarship

Mayor Reid is a Gastonia native, a 1975 graduate of Hunter Huss High School, and received his A.A.S. Degree in Fire Science Technology from Gaston College. He graduated from the NC Fire College and the NC Fire Prevention School at the Institute of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill. Mayor Reid is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and the R. Kennett Scott Fire Prevention School. During his career, he was a firefighter and Fire inspector for the City of Gastonia and a Fire Service instructor at Gaston College for 15 years. Mayor Reid retired as an Assistant Fire Marshal Fire & Life Safety Educator for the Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s Office after 23 years.
Mayor Reid was elected to the City Council in 1995, serving 16 years on council, serving as Mayor Pro-Tem 4 of 7 terms. He was elected Mayor of Gastonia in 2017 to a two-year term and re-elected to a four-year term in 2019.
He has been involved in the community for many years serving on various boards of directors, including the Salvation Army, Schiele Museum, and Upward Highland Foundation, and in 2003 was the Chairman of the Gaston Boys and Girls Club.
He has been married to Doris Hill Reid since March 1978 and has three adult children.
Scholarship Requirements: Preference given to students who are in the Fire Protection Technology, Nursing(RN, LPN-RN, RN, RIBN), Early Childhood Education, Associate in Arts or Science in Teacher Preparation, or BLET Programs, Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better, Based on a combination of academic achievement and need, Student must reside in Gastonia, Preference given to single parent (mother or father) with custody of dependent child(ren). Scholarships are not renewable.