Reed McCurry Scholarship Provides Full Tuition for Carson Cougs
When Reed McCurry left his home in Fall City, Washington, in 1966 to attend WSU, a small scholarship during his freshman year helped ease his financial burden. The impact of that assistance stayed with him for over 50 years and was the inspiration for his recent legacy donation to the CarsonCollege of Business.
The Reed McCurry Scholarship provides full tuition and fees or demonstrated financial need to full-time juniors or seniors, with first preference given to accounting majors, and second preference to entrepreneurship students. Fifth-year graduate program students also qualify for the award.
“I want to make students’ time in school less stressful and help them graduate with less of a burden from student loans,” McCurry says. “The success I was able to achieve from my WSU education and career in accounting provided me with the independence and financial means to explore the world.”
Pride in Accounting as a Career Choice
Decades ago, a career in accounting was not seen as the most exciting option, and that still holds to some degree today, McCurry says. He aims to help others to know how outstanding a career in accounting can be by sharing his story.
McCurry (’70 Accounting) spent 20 years working in accounting at major companies before segueing into entrepreneurial and investor roles. “What I learned in accounting was absolutely vital in setting me up for success in the other things I chose to do in the business world,” he says. He has had several successful small businesses and eventually invested in residential and commercial real estate.
McCurry’s career success allowed him the financial independence to travel the world and visit over 100 countries. “I often wear my Coug gear in other parts of the world, and I’ve received ‘GO COUGS’ on the beach in Zanzibar, on the grounds of a Portugal palace, and on a mountain in Chile,” he says.
He also saw much of the United States through his work, driving around in a brand new sports car his company provided or flying in the corporate Learjet.
Inspiring Others To Create Access to Knowledge
“I had experiences and opportunities that were simply amazing,” he says. “My support of WSU, the Carson College, and the accounting program will endure long after I’m gone. I hope many others will see the value of giving back and jump on board to do the same thing.”
