HARTSVILLE, S.C. (courtesy coker.edu) — Darlington County resident and philanthropist Mr. P.L. “Roy” McCall, Jr. gave an outright gift of $1.2 million to Coker University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts. McCall’s generous gift is one of the largest in Coker University’s history.
The gift is in memory of McCall’s parents, P.L. and Belle Wolfe McCall; Coker University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts will be named the P.L. and Belle Wolfe McCall School of Visual and Performing Arts. The gift will support the school’s programmatic needs and facility improvements, and a portion will be invested in the university’s endowment for the school’s future needs.
“We are indebted to the entire McCall family for their commitment to Coker and their amazing generosity,” says Dr. William Carswell, Vice President of External Relations at Coker University. “Roy’s gift to honor his mother and father will benefit both the students and faculty in the visual and performing arts, as well as the institution for decades to come.”
Coker University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts is housed in several buildings on Coker’s campus––the Margaret Coker Lawton Music Building, the Gladys Coker Fort Art Building, and the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center. The school offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of fine arts degrees in art, art education, dance, dance education, music, music education, and theatre, and produces more than 65 public performances and exhibitions each year.
The McCall family has been a part of the fabric of Coker since the early days of the institution. McCall’s father, P.L. McCall, Sr., was a member of Coker’s Board of Trustees from 1939-1970. McCall’s mother, Belle Wolfe McCall, was a 1915 graduate of Coker College for Women. Roy and his late wife Margaret, along with his twin brother, Reaves McCall, now deceased, have been financial supporters of Coker for decades, particularly the music program. The McCall family supported Coker’s All-Steinway Initiative, which led to the university becoming an All-Steinway school in 2017. The McCall brothers also donated the indoor track in Coker’s Harris E. and Louise H. DeLoach Center in memory of their mother; she played on the basketball team during her time at Coker.
McCall earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Clemson in 1953 and has been a long-time supporter of his alma mater. Even today, he attends almost every Clemson football game. McCall is also an active member of West Hartsville Baptist Church.
“The faculty and staff of the School of Visual and Performing Arts are extremely appreciative of the gift from the McCall family,” says Angela Gallo, Dean of Coker University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts. “It will enable our programs to purchase much-needed materials for their academic programs as well as renovate and maintain facilities. These resources will allow the McCall School of Visual and Performing Arts to expand its presence in the community.”