Education is the key.

That’s the philosophy of David Worley who, with his wife Dianne Worley ’86, have made a gift of $500,000 to UNC Asheville to establish the Dianne and David Worley Endowed Scholarship.

“Education is the key to everything,” said David. “It’s the key to success, the key to lifting people out of poverty, the key to civilization.”

The Worley’s endowed scholarship will support UNC Asheville students, particularly those who are first-generation college students, have a financial need, and students who increase the diversity of the University’s student population.

“The fact that my wife had financial assistance to help her get through college was important to her,” said David, an Asheville native. Dianne, also an Asheville native, graduated from UNC Asheville in 1986 with a degree in management, and was the first in her family to attend an institution of higher education. When she graduated, Dianne promised herself she would pay it forward to others.

“With a scholarship like this, society benefits because the individual benefits, and they will pass that along. So, the gift keeps on giving.”

By creating an endowed scholarship at UNC Asheville, David and Dianne felt they were supporting their “hometown university.”

“UNC Asheville is unique in that it’s a liberal arts college, and it teaches both creative and analytical skills, which is fundamental,” said David, who is the president of and partner at Worley, Woodbery, & Associates CPA firm, and former chair of the UNC Asheville Foundation Board.

David also points out that UNC Asheville’s creativity extends to creative giving, as well. Wiley Cash, UNC Asheville alumnus, bestselling author, and Writer-in-Residence, offered a drawing on behalf of the University in which a donor would have naming rights of a character in Cash’s new novel, When Ghosts Come Home. David and Dianne, to their surprise, won the drawing.

“I chose my grandfather’s name,” David said, and Cash gave the name to the deputy sheriff in the story (you’ll have to read it for yourself to learn the name!).

David and Dianne’s gift will be used as matching funds for the UNC Asheville Trust Scholarship, which is supported by $3 million in funding from the State of North Carolina with a charge for the University to raise matching funds. David and Dianne’s gift is the first gift received toward matching the State’s funding.

“With education as the key to life’s success, we hope we’re turning out very smart, talented students who make a contribution to the world,” David said.