Dr. Ray had been our College of Engineering and Technology’s Dean since 2014, one year after I joined WCU. He had been a constant support and advocate for us all, students and faculty & staff alike, throughout the years.

A week before my trip, Dr. Ray kindly made time to treat me a lunch, sharing his plans to invite very inspirational female engineers to give some talks during the Engineering Week in Feb 2022. He also asked me if I would be willing to share some of my trip experience then. Of course, I’d love to. He was also the one that encouraged me to blog about my trip. I was fully expecting to share my experiences with him and others when I will be back on campus in spring 2022. Who knew that our lunch together would have become the last time I saw him, as Dr. Ray suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on July 26, 2021. No words could describe the shock and disbelief we felt, and the profound sadness we had to bear.

He was very active to support FIRST Robotics League, funded a new scholarship for our incoming students, and secured many more scholarships for our CET students. He guided our ABET accreditation efforts, and shared his expertise with many national and international institutions. He was an ASEE fellow, embodied the caliber of a scholar and leader. He would also match our grant as a pleasant surprise to further enhance its impacts. There were so many things he did that made a difference.

The sadness won’t fade easily, and yet we know for a fact that Dr. Ray’s legacy will continue and impact many more students to come.