Cub Roar Fall/Winter 2022

MOMENTS THAT MATTER

By Sara Exner Whittaker ‘00

Ashley and Garrett Walvoord with their children, De Lis '28, Kruse '31, and Karola '35.

After starting their Cub journey several years ago, Ashley and Garrett Walvoord relocated their family to Dallas for a couple of years before returning home to Baton Rouge and the ULS community. In doing so, they were inspired to make a lasting investment that would honor their appreciation for ULS’s stellar educational experience.

Ashley remembered, “Everyone encouraged us to focus on what touched our hearts. At the end of the day, the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion make up an important part of our family’s core values, and the opportunity to spread the experience of a ULS education was too powerful to pass up. Our employer 1:1 match helps us make an impact faster, and we find it all the more inspiring and motivating to give.”

Driven by these reflections on what meant most to their family, and with the appeal of maximizing their impact through Verizon’s matching gift program, the Walvoords established a fund that will provide tuition assistance year after year. As an endowment, their gift will make a ULS education accessible to generations of families who might not otherwise be able to afford tuition.

In Dallas, the family chose their neighborhood based on the many options for quality schools, but they missed the pace of the ULS classrooms, foreign languages, music and dramatic arts, and many other aspects that make ULS one of the

top-ranked schools in the nation. “Our experience with school during that time was great, but it was so apparent that ULS had set our standards very high,” Ashley shared.

“We chose ULS out of an interest in giving our children the resources and opportunities to reach their potential. Whether they ‘find themselves’ in advanced academics, in music and theatre, in sports, or other, they have a chance to develop and grow from a solid academic foundation.”

Now back home, the Walvoords have been actively engaged in their Cubs’ (De Lis, Class of ’28; Kruse, Class of ’31; and Karola, Class of ‘35) school experiences. A family vote about their favorite ULS memory so far drew a tie among favorite teachers and staff, the arts (specifically Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Sister Act, and District Honor Choir), and the competitive opportunities (Young Writers, Noetic Math, Director’s List, and Jump Rope for Heart). The bottom line, they say, is that “ULS brings us moments that matter all the time.”

As part of broadening their engagement within and on behalf of the Cub community, the Walvoords are also donors and volunteers for the U Fund and Giving Day. Ashley explained, “It is a humbling and energizing experience to participate in these spaces. It’s even more interesting to teach the kids what giving really enables and how it impacts various outcomes. In our household, we talk about expenses as a balancing act and as a reflection of what is important to us. Giving isn’t reserved for large donations. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and participation is what matters.”

Everyone encouraged us to focus on what touched our hearts. At the end of the day, the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion make up an important part of our family’s core values, and the opportunity to spread the experience of a ULS education was too powerful to pass up.