“I’ve always said, ‘God, family, and vocation—in that order.’”
— Terry “Bo” Ray
Terry “Bo” Ray, of Magnolia, AR, understands the impact a scholarship can have on a student’s life. Ray’s own life was changed by an athletic scholarship that brought him to Southern Arkansas University, formerly Southern State College, in 1968, where he played football for the Muleriders, was voted captain by his team twice, and helped reclaim the conference title after 20 years.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for that scholarship,” Ray said, excited to pay it forward to the next generation.
The Terry “Bo” Ray Walk-on Faith Scholarship is designated for a male, football student-athlete with an education-focused degree plan in need of financial assistance.
“I hope the recipient will be proud,” said Ray, “and that he’ll represent his family, himself, and the high standards of being a Mulerider.”
For Ray, family and SAU go hand in hand. His journey to college football began in Marshall, TX, playing sports and shadowing his father Coach J.T. Ray. A World War II veteran, award-winning basketball coach, and former athlete, Ray’s father inspired in his son a life-long passion for sports and coaching.
After graduating from Marshall High School, Ray was encouraged by friends to enroll at Southern State College. The red-shirt scholarship he received in the fall and the football scholarship he was awarded the following spring helped pay his tuition and allowed him to play for the Muleriders. Off of the field, Ray served in the student senate, performed in a production of South Pacific, and met his future wife Lucy Martel.
Ray graduated with a BSE with a history minor in 1973 and a MEd in 1975. He went on to teach history and health education across the state while coaching football, basketball, baseball, and track. He was offered a principal position for the Magnolia School District, where he stayed for 18 years. Ray also served as a superintendent for rural school districts, including Stephens, McNeil, and Dierks.
After 35 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator, Ray returned to SAU as an assistant professor in the Educational Leadership program.
Everyone in the Ray family is proud of their SAU ties. His wife, Lucy Martel Ray, is also an SAU alum, along with their three children—Kristopher and twin daughters Elizabeth and Mary Katherine. In fact, it was Ray’s family who established the Terry “Bo” Ray Walk-on Faith Scholarship in his honor and revealed it for his 70th birthday.
“It was a tremendous gift,” Ray said. “I got pretty emotional.”
To alumni interested in giving back, Ray encourages them to take the step: “It’s one of the best things you can do—to give back to the University that’s given so much to you.”
Ray is a member of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, a lifetime member of the Arkansas Activities Association, an SAU Mulerider Club Advisory Board member and former president, a two-term member of the SAU Foundation, Superintendent Emeritus of Arkansas Public Schools, and a Paul Harris member of the Magnolia Rotary Club. He was a member of the Columbia County SAU Tech Literacy Council Board and always a proud sponsor of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Ray recently celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with wife Lucy. The couple are enjoying their retirement in Magnolia, AR, and spend as much time as they can with their grandchildren.
