Northwest Missouri State University alumni Don and Dr. Joyce Piveral want
to pay it forward to the students who will benefit others through
education.
The Piverals recently pledged a gift to the Northwest Foundation totaling
at least $33,000 to establish the Piveral Wake Mitchell Scholarship, which
represents the legacy and impact Northwest has had on the family. It pays
tribute to both sides of the family, including Joyce's mother Hazel Eileen
Mitchell Wake.
"I've always focused on teacher development and how we can make sure
students are getting a good education because I do feel that's the way out
of the situation some students are in," Joyce said. "Using their talents,
we need to give them that good basis to use their talents and education to
benefit all of us."
Through their gift, a $1,000 scholarship will be available to students
maintaining at least a 2.75 grade-point average and pursuing a degree in
the School of Education. A selection committee will determine the number of
scholarships awarded annually with academic achievement and financial need
as leading criteria.
"I got a good start here, and other students need a good start," Joyce
said. "If we help others get a good education and they don't have any
extensive debt, it helps us all."
Don added, "Even if they go to some other job besides teaching, it opens
doors. And Northwest is just plain great."
The family's legacy at Northwest began with Joyce's grandmother, Verta Ball
Mitchell, who attended what was then known as the Fifth District Normal
School in 1910 to become a teacher.
Don and Joyce reconnected after Don returned to Northwest from the Vietnam
War and finished his teaching degree at the institution in 1978.
"I came in 1963 in pre-engineering and Uncle Sam needed me, so I left and
had to come back," Don said.
Today, Don has a farming operation outside of Pickering, Missouri.
Joyce retired from Northwest in 2016 as dean of the College of Education
and Human Services and previously served as director of teacher education
at the University. Additionally, she was a professor and chair of the
Department of Educational Leadership and assistant director of teacher
education. Through her leadership, Northwest was one of two universities
across the nation in 2006 to receive the Christa McAuliffe Award and be
recognized as an outstanding teacher preparation institution.
"It was an opportunity to help the next generation get the best teachers
out in the classroom," Joyce said.
A native Missourian, Joyce completed her undergraduate degree in vocational
home economics at Northwest in 1970. She also holds master's and
educational specialist's degrees in educational leadership from Northwest
and an Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of
Missouri-Columbia.
She served as a teacher and administrator for more than 10 years in the
Fillmore C-I School District and was an administrator at Central High
School in the St. Joseph School District for 20 years.
Joyce has been educating future teachers for more than 50 years. She said
the thought of making a difference for students, teachers and leaders
motivated her dedication to the field.
"Seeing my students receive their diploma always felt like a success for
me, too," she said. "The students were always inspirational and uplifting
even when challenges were ahead."
