First recipient of the Joyce Haywood Memorial Scholarship at Northern Oklahoma College is Tina Kear of Ponca City. A sophomore Process Technology major, Kear was selected for the award by Dr. Frankie Wood-Black, director of the NOC process technology program, and Scott Haywood, NOC language arts faculty, who established the scholarship in memory of his late wife.
“Tina was selected based on her academic record and her positive attitude,” Haywood said. “Just like Joyce, Tina exemplifies what a strong woman is about. In a male-dominated industry, Tina has shown that she can provide a positive role in process technology.
“It was an easy selection,” he continued. “Joyce was a strong advocate for giving women a place in the workforce. Tina will continue to carry on that legacy.”
Haywood established the memorial scholarship fund through the NOC Foundation, Inc. after his wife’s death in January 2016. The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations would be made to the fund. Through the generous support of friends and family, the temporarily restricted scholarship endowment benefits female students majoring in Process Technology at NOC Tonkawa.
Joyce Marie Haywood attended NOC from 1975-1978 and in 1979 began a career with Conoco, Inc. which lasted 33 years. She was the first female world-wide to enter the Conoco mechanical pool. She worked in several areas in the plant, including the Solvent Plant and the West Plant, finishing her career as a reliability repairman in the South Plant.
It was her wish to assist another female pursuing a career in the process technology industry.
