In the fall of 2017, Gary began pursuing his doctorate of public health at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Gary aspired to gain the knowledge needed to contribute to improving leadership and impacting policy in rural health and long-term care.

Gary completed his coursework and comprehensive examination in the fall of 2019 and defended his dissertation proposal in May 2020. Gary is currently collecting data and is about 3 semesters away from becoming Dr. Gary A. Henderson.

Since completing the comprehensive examination, Gary has been paying his tuition bill without loans, grants or scholarships. In 2022 his daughter entered Campbell University as a freshman and his son is set to begin his college education at North Carolina State University this fall. Contributing to Gary's hardship was an unfortunate job loss lasting from March to June. To end his unemployment period, Gary accepted a job in a city 2 1/2 hours from home. He is commuting most days of the week to avoid dual household expenses.

To continue toward graduation Gary must pay a tuition bill from Spring 2023 and pre-pay fall 2023 totaling approximately $6,000 by August 10, 2023. Please consider contributing so that Gary can finish what he started in 2017.