The scholarship reflects Baum’s longstanding commitment to the College and his belief in education as a pathway to meaningful work and service. A recently retired dentist after 45 years in practice, Baum chose to support nursing because of its direct connection to healthcare and the many career paths the profession offers.
“Nursing provides an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives while also offering flexibility throughout a career,” Baum said. “It is a profession that can provide meaningful work while allowing people to build a life around the things that are important to them.”
Baum’s connection to Catawba began as a student drawn to the College’s small size and close-knit academic environment. Growing up in a military family, he moved frequently, and he valued the sense of community he found at Catawba, particularly within the Chemistry Department.
Small classes gave Baum the opportunity to ask questions, seek clarification, and develop relationships with professors who took a personal interest in his success. He remembers faculty members Dr. Buxton, Dr. Detty, and Dr. Deal as important influences who encouraged him as he prepared for dental school.
“The professors truly wanted to teach their disciplines,” Baum said. “They knew their fields well, and they made you want to keep learning. Being able to talk with them in class or during office hours made a tremendous difference for me.”
That foundation helped prepare Baum for a career in dentistry that spanned more than four decades. Now retired, he saw an opportunity to once again invest in Catawba students.
The Dr. James Baum Endowed Scholarship builds on his previous philanthropy to the College. In 2021, Baum established an endowed scholarship in memory of his father, Dr. Milton Baum ’51. His newest scholarship continues that family tradition of supporting students as they pursue their own educational and professional goals.
Recipients of the Dr. James Baum Endowed Scholarship must be admitted to Catawba’s undergraduate Nursing program and remain in good standing with both the program and the College. Financial need may also be considered, and the scholarship is renewable for students who continue to meet eligibility requirements.
For Baum, giving back is an opportunity to help provide future students with the kind of educational foundation that shaped his own life.
“If you have the ability to give financially, it is a meaningful way to support students and Catawba,” Baum said.
Through the scholarship, Baum is helping students prepare for careers of service in healthcare while extending the impact of his own Catawba experience to a new generation.
To learn more about how to support Catawba College or establish a new endowed fund or scholarship, please contact Catawba’s Office of Advancement at 704.637.4394.
About Where Our Good Goes
Where Our Good Goes is Catawba College’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, designed to expand opportunities for students, enhance academic and campus life, and strengthen the College’s impact on communities near and far. Grounded in Catawba’s mission of scholarship with character and culture for service, the campaign reflects the College’s enduring belief that when we invest in students today, their good will go far tomorrow. For more information about the Where Our Good Goes campaign, visit catawba.edu/whereourgoodgoes.
