Whitford, L. A. (Larry Alston), 1902-

L. A. (Larry Alston) Whitford (1902-1995) was one of North Carolina State College's first two graduates in biology. Whitford earned a B.S. degree in 1925 from North Carolina State College, an M.S. degree in 1929, also from State College, and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1941. He was a member of the faculty of North Carolina State College. He studied phycology and wrote a manual on the fresh-water algal flora of North Carolina with G. J. Schumacher. Whitford taught at State College from 1926 until 1968, when he officially retired and took the title of professor emeritus. J. R. Troyer described him as "a living symbol of the power of education over poverty and humble birth, a perfect personification of the spirit and purpose of the American land-grant college system."

L. A. (Larry Alston) Whitford (1902-1950 was associated with North Carolina State University through most of his higher education and career. Whitford earned an undergraduate degree in biology from North Carolina State College in 1925 and an M.S. in 1929. He went on to serve as a botany professor from 1926 to 1968, specializing in the study of phycology.