A young Gloria White arrived at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) nearly four decades ago, looking for a job opportunity. In the time eight presidents have been in office, Gloria was helping people at NPS. Now retired, White begins a new chapter in her life, and she has big plans.
“When the new semester starts, I’m going back to college. I’m going to be on a bowling league, and volunteer at the Salvation Army and the Boy and Girls club where I’ve volunteered before,” said White with a smile from ear to ear.
“I’ve also always wanted to feed the homeless at Dorothy’s Kitchen. I’ve always donated my money, and because I was working I couldn’t get over to Salinas to feed them, so that’s always been a real goal for me,” she added.
When White first arrived at NPS, she had no idea she was preparing to set forth on a more than four-decade journey.
“When I first came here (NPS), I worked in a temporary position in the operations research department,” White reminisced. “I came here Nov. 16, 1970, and I took the civil service test and passed it with a 99.6 percent. Then I worked in the comptroller’s office, and I will always remember my supervisor, Isabel Shaw … She was very fair.”
Sandra Stephens, currently an Educational Technician at NPS, first met White during a Toastmaster gathering.
“She was excellent, she was a perfect mentor,” said Stephens. “She was very elegant in her speech and the way she talked. And she carried herself very well, that’s why I was very impressed by her.
“She had a lot going for herself, so I think just being retired from work kind of opened her up to be able to do all of the fun things that she always wanted to do,” Stephens added. “She was a wonderful individual and I hope that we will continue our friendship after she retires.”
As White looks forward to her many plans and whatever else comes along, she says she is eager to get started on life’s next challenge.
“All in all, my tour here has been great,” White said . “Over 45 years is practically a lifetime, and I’ve given my life. But it’s time to move on now and I’m looking forward to turning the page.”