Nelson Pharr ’86 had never heard of PC until Bob Smith ’61 told him about it. Smith was serving as associate minister at Pharr’s church, Sardis Presbyterian in Charlotte, at the time. 

“Of course Bob was a PC grad and loved the college and introduced me to PC my junior year of high school,” Pharr said.

Many of Pharr’s family members were Davidson College graduates. Pharr’s grandfather was a professor at Davidson for most of his life and lived less than a block off the Davidson campus during Pharr’s childhood.

“Growing up in Charlotte, we went to Davidson often to visit my grandparents,” Pharr said. “Davidson is a great college, and I have nothing against it, but I felt that I would thrive in a smaller college environment.”

Pharr toured several colleges while in high school, including PC.

“PC was by far my favorite,” Pharr said. “Of course I loved the beautiful campus, but it was the people who sold me on the school. Everyone was so warm and friendly and welcoming.”

Pharr majored in business administration and says he feels fortunate for his PC education.

“What sticks out to me most about the education I received at PC was how engaging the professors were,” Pharr said. “They all took a personal interest in the students and were always willing to spend time one-on-one with us when we needed it.”

Pharr enjoyed all of his classes and tried not to miss any. The professors and the small class sizes allowed students to interact and ask questions.

“Every faculty member I had was excellent, but my favorite was Dr. Rachel Stewart in the English Department,” Pharr said. “Her passion and enthusiasm for teaching and wanting her students to learn was second-to-none.”

Pharr says that eating together in Greenville Dining Hall was a part of PC that made his college experience unique.

“Eating together in the dining hall is unusual in most college environments but that experience was invaluable to me,” he said. “It allowed us to talk about what was going on in our classes, our fraternity and all other aspects of college life.”

Pharr went on to enjoy a career in banking after he graduated from PC. He now serves as a private mortgage banker for Wells Fargo. 

Although they were not PC graduates, Pharr’s parents, the late Robert and Evelyn Pharr, of Charlotte, N.C., listed PC as one of the beneficiaries in their Charitable Remainder Trust. The endowment supports the PC Fund and the PC Scholarship Fund.

“My parents saw how much PC helped me to grow and develop and prepare me for my adult life,” Nelson said. “They were fortunate enough to be able to give back to organizations that had been meaningful to our family, and PC was at the top of that list. 

“I’m so proud of my parents for their wise and generous estate planning, and I encourage others to do the same.”You can learn more about making estate plans for PC, and other gift planning options on our website presby.plannedgiving.org or by contacting Stephen Frey in the Office of Advancement at sfrey@presby.edu or 864.833.8462.