Ashley Duggins named recipient of UNC System Staff Scholarship

Ashley Duggins, accreditation manager at Winston-Salem State University Police and Public Safety, has been selected as one of 17 recipients statewide to receive the Janet B. Royster (JBR) Memorial Staff Scholarship, a competitive award administered by the UNC System Staff Assembly to support professional development among system employees.

Established in August 2011, the JBR Memorial Staff Scholarship Fund honors the legacy of Janet B. Royster, a longtime UNC-TV employee and dedicated staff leader who served on the General Administration Staff Forum and was later elected to the UNC System Staff Assembly, where she became its first parliamentarian until her untimely death in June 2011. The scholarship recognizes her leadership, service and commitment to advancing staff development across the UNC System.

The JBR Memorial Staff Scholarship provides financial assistance to permanent, full-time, non-faculty employees pursuing a degree or other professional certification. Award recipients are selected through a competitive process conducted by the JBR Scholarship Committee.

Duggins is pursuing her bachelor’s in criminal justice with a concentration in administration of justice at Western Carolina University. She has been with WSSU Campus Police for nearly four years and brings 17 years of total law enforcement experience to her role.

She said pursuing higher education requires balancing excitement for new challenges with concerns about cost. The criminal justice distance learning program at WCU has allowed her to continue advancing professionally while maintaining flexibility to meet both work and family responsibilities.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to work towards a degree without financial hardship and for the support from WSSU and the UNC System,” Duggins said. “My amazing family, friends and team of coworkers at Campus Police have been my cheerleaders throughout this process, encouraging me to keep going. I am honored to be chosen as a recipient of the Janet B. Royster Memorial Scholarship.”

For the 2025-2026 academic year, individual awards were granted up to $1,000 and may be applied toward tuition, fees, books, conference registration, certificate programs or related professional development expenses. Funds are paid directly to the recipient’s home institution, which may reimburse the employee or pay vendors on the employee’s behalf.

Applicants are evaluated based on a range of criteria, including their commitment to their UNC institution, the relevance of the proposed educational activity to their current role or future career aspirations, the skills to be gained, and their long-term professional goals within the UNC System.

Since its creation, the JBR Memorial Staff Scholarship Fund has awarded 186 scholarships totaling more than $130,000, reflecting the UNC System’s ongoing investment in staff growth, effectiveness and career advancement.