Ron Newton
He is one of 20 children with three sets of multiples. Two did not live into adulthood, but the rest created a legacy all their own. They started with sugar sacks and balls of string.
Ronald Newton is a man of humble beginnings. He grew up with nothing but a love and passion for sports. Ron and his three brothers Richard, David and Roland made a name for themselves on a championship high school basketball team and have been successful ever since. There would have been a full team of Newtons one year had yet another brother of theirs not developed a health condition.
Newton came to UNC with both academic and basketball scholarships in the hope to one day become a teacher and a coach. Soon after, his brothers Richard, David (who attended junior college and transferred) and Mark (who later wrote for the Greeley Tribune) followed. “I already knew what I wanted to do and it just so happened that the best place to do it was just up the road,” said Newton. Recently, Ron’s legendary 1957 Mead High School basketball team was inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame. (Click here to read the story by the Greeley Tribune).
His fondest memories of attending what was then named CSC (Colorado State College) are living in the dormitories and scrubbing the dining hall floors. I know it doesn’t sound like fun, but that job served as financial means for me, he said. He was highly involved in leadership activities and programs while on campus. He was even president of his fraternity. He is so thankful for all the great learning opportunities he had and how fortunate he was to have such great role models like the seven sisters who helped raise him. He remembers being a lab instructor and discovering his love of science.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in biology, and then attended the University of Utah for his Master’s degree followed by his doctorate at Texas A&M. He remained there for 30 years before moving to North Carolina. He taught for a while and is now in the administrative financial department at Eastern Carolina University. He has been in higher education for 40 years.
Currently, Ron gives back to UNC by volunteering his time and talents to the UNC Alumni Association. He helps organize the 50 Year Society reunions and is part of a committee that promotes awareness and reconnects UNC alumni to their alma mater. “I am so proud of the progress UNC has made, proud of all the renovations to campus and the growing programs, departments and scholarships,” Newton said. One of those scholarships is in his parent’s honor (the James Elmer & Laura Dreier Newton Scholarship).
If you would like to get involved with UNC Alumni Association, please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form online.
Top photograph by Misha Photography of Ron and Mary (Weingarth) Newton.
Bottom photograph, pictured L-R: Elaine (Bolander) Bibbey; Phyllis (Senatore) Newton; Richard Newton; Jack Adams – High School Coach; Ron Newton; Mary (Weingarth) Newton; Marcus Newton; Gloria Jean (Lane) Graham. Photo by Misha Photography.
Story by Amanda Welder
