p. 10 SUN SPOTS Trending carbon neutral 2022Summer
Oh, deer. This white-tailed doe is smack dab in the middle of a green roof that helps insulate utilities housed in the bunker below.
IN THIS ISSUE
FEATURES 10 Sun Spots
20
Niquole Esters ’04 30 Alumni 48 Chronicles This
An offsite solar farm will allow W&L to purchase the energy equivalent of 100% of campus electricity use. 12 Under BaobabtheTree Through her company, Mama’s Creation Foods, Rebecca Bakare ’19 is empowering women farmers in Africa. 16 Rocketman Bill Benson ’92 is an engineer at NASA, designing missions that launch unmanned scientific spacecraft to the moon, Mars and beyond. W&LGBTQ+ Marking the 10th Anniversary of W&L’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center 24ColumnsOfficeHours Mike Singleton, men’s soccer coach Lives of Consequence Jim Lawson ’77 page and cover image: Shelby Mack
DEPARTMENTS 3
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The magazine was in production when we learned of the death of former Trustee Maurice Theodore “Ted” Van Leer ’51 on May 16, 2022. The obituary will be published in the next issue and is online at go.wlu.edu/vanleer-obit. PLEASE NOTE The obituaries for Rufus Safford ’58 and Edward Good ’60 were published in the Winter 2022 issue without the icon. Also, Dan Flournoy ’64 noted we had the wrong picture for the story “Champions,” Winter 2022. “As a member of the gold team that stood in the aisle on the bus, I remember all the details. The team pictured was a great one, but not the team that played that day.”
JIM JONES ’77
THE BIG MOVE
TODD C. PEPPERS ’86
The Winter 2022 Alumni Mag included a letter from an alumnus saying that he and a few other students formed SABU in 1969. That assertion is incorrect according to university records and oral interviews. The Spring 2021 feature article [“SABU: Advocating With One Voice”] explained and celebrated the fact that SABU was founded in 1971 by a specific group of Black students.
The article on “The Big Move” [Winter 2022] brought back many memories. Professor Tom Ziegler and I printed the shirt, ordered by librarian Maurice Leach, and my sister-in-law, Norma Burns Robinson, designed it! Tom came to W&L in 1976 and figured out how to use photography to create a silk screen. These were used to create the theatre posters placed around campus. My housemate Sam Steves ’77 and I approached Tom about going into business printing T-shirts. If you bought a lacrosse shirt during the D-I glory years, at the end of the footbridge or the University Store, we printed it. We also did shirts for many local businesses, including Spanky’s and The White Column Inn. After graduation Sam returned to San Antonio, and Tom and I continued the business for several years. Hindsight is always 20-20— I should have made it my career!
UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Contributors
Drewry Sackett ’93 Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs Published by Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA 24450. All communications and POD forms 3579 should be sent to Washington and Lee University, Alumni Magazine, 7 Courthouse Square, 204 W. Washington St., Lexington VA 24450-2116. Periodicals post age paid at Roanoke, VA.
I had the great privilege not only to take classes from John Gunn, but I was fortune enough to call him a mentor and a friend. I wanted to share a memory which represents the deep love that John had for W&L. Shortly before the start of the pandemic, John and I had lunch in downtown Lexington. After our lunch, as I watched him walk between the large hedges which run along the front of the campus, I noticed that he suddenly stopped, examined one of the hedges, and then carefully picked off a small, dead branch. After looking around and not seeing a trash can, John put the dead branch in his pocket and continued walking. Even in his 90s, John was still taking care of the campus which meant so much to him. That was John Gunn. He will be dearly missed.
Jessica L. Willett ’95 Vice President of Communications and Strategic Initiatives
John Jensen ’01 Executive Director of Alumni and Career Services © 2022 Washington and Lee University SABU CORRECTION
SPEAK A Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Washington and Lee University Volume 99, Number 2 Summer 2022 Louise Uffelman Editor Sara Butler Assistant Editor Jamie Lipps Director of Design Billy Chase, Emmaline Nelsen Designers Kay Hughes Class Notes Editor Shelby Mack Kevin Remington PhotographersUniversity Ralph Berrier Jr. Taylor Bryant Jack Eason ’22 Jeff Hanna Beth RiwajLindseyJoJackNairShrestha’22
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REMEMBERING JOHN GUNN ’45
Thomas W. Jennings Vice President for University Advancement
1
NEW LAW DEAN
Samantha McLemore ’02, managing partner, chief investment officer and portfolio manager for Patient Partners LP in Towson, Maryland, and Lee Hollis ’86, a partner at Lightfoot, Franklin & White in Birmingham, Alabama, were sworn in at the May board meeting.
3. NEWWELCOMETRUSTEES MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 3
2
NOTEWORTHY NEWS AND
W&L HAS SEIZED THE Dan Wooldridge Overall Sports Champion Cup for the 20th consecutive year. The Generals claimed all three of the cups, taking the overall and the men’s and women’s cups. W&L won the women’s cup for the 19th straight year and took the men’s cup for the seventh straight year, marking seven consecutive years the Blue & White has received all three of the cups. This academic year, varsity teams claimed 11 conference championships and to date have compiled a 217-75-4 (.740) overall record. Read about this year’s other successes at: wlu.edu/athletics W&L
ofTennesseeatDistinguishedandwhocriminalscholaraMelaniewelcomesD.Wilson,highlyrespectedonissuesofprocedure,wasdeanemeritaLindsayYoungProfessortheUniversityofCollegeLaw.
Columns IDEAS
KEEPING SCORE
Sarah Horowitz, associate professor of history, authored “The Red Widow: The Scandal That Shook Paris and the Woman Behind It All” (Sourcebooks), a “rollicking historical account of Marguerite Steinheil, a real-life French femme fatale who used her influence to arrange governmental appointments, blackmailed her opponents and may have even attempted to poison those who got in the way of her agenda.”
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Rebecca Harris, professor of politics, published, “Party Food: A Partisan History of Food & Farming in America” (Common Ground Research Networks). She said, “I wrote this book to reach farmers, foodies, citizens and public servants with a fresh take on food issues from a political science perspective.”
ENTREPRENUERSPUBLICATIONSUNITE
The 10th annual Entrepreneurship Summit featured Ted Elliott ’94, CEO of Copado, as the keynote speaker. Sessions covered cryptocurrency, women founders and the student pitch competition.
REMEMBRANCES
Krzysztof Jasiewicz, William P. Ames Jr. Professor of Sociology published a book titled “On the Streets and at the Polls” (Warsaw: Scholar 2022), which examines the political behavior of Poles from 1980 to 2020.
Marcos Perez, assistant professor of sociology, has published a book about the unemployed workers’ movement in Argentina titled, “Proletarian Lives: Routines, Identity and Culture in Contentious Politics” (Cambridge University Press).
Domnica Radulescu, Edwin A. Morris Professor of Comparative Literature, published her memoir titled “Dream in a Suitcase: The Story of an Immigrant Life” (Austin Macauley). Her book is the first English language memoir from a woman Romanian-American survivor of Romania’s former communist dictatorship.
Lesley Wheeler, Henry S. Fox Professor of English and poetry editor for Shenandoah magazine, has published her debut essay collection, “Poetry’s Possible Worlds,” illustrating how traveling through a poem’s pocket universe can change people for the better.
6. FACULTY
Hillel’s student leaders dedicated W&L’s Holocaust Memorial Daffodil Garden on March 9 on the Hillel House front lawn. The garden is part of the Daffodil Project, which seeks to plant 1.5 million daffodils in communities around the world, in memory of the 1.5 million children murdered in the Holocaust.
OHN JENSEN ’01, dean of the Office of Career and Professional Development at W&L, has been named executive director of the university’s Alumni and Career Services. Jensen replaces Beau Dudley ’74, ’79L, who retired as executive director of Alumni Engagement. In his new role reporting to Tom Jennings, vice president for Advancement,UniversityJensenwillretainleadershipofW&L’sOfficeofCareerandProfessionalDevelopmentwhilealsoassuming responsibility for the university’s Office of Alumni Engagement. The combined department will have four key areas: undergraduate student career services, alumni career services, alumni programs and volunteer engagement, and alumni lifelong learning. “My W&L experience has shaped nearly every aspect of my personal and professional journey, so it is a dream come true to lead this combined new team,” said Jensen. “I look forward to working with generations of alumni as well as current and future students to help define and enhance their lives after graduating from W&L. I am deeply grateful to the mentors I have had through out my time here, who have been integral influences on my path from student to alumnus to employee.”
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Expanding opportunities for making personal, professional and educational connections.
Stepping into new roles are Michael Hill, left, director of the DeLaney Center, and John Jensen ’01, executive director of Alumni and Career Services.
ICHAEL HILL , professor and chair of AfricanatheStudies program at W&L, has been named the inaugural director of the university’s new Theodore DeLaney Center, an interdisciplinary academic center for teaching and research on Southern race relations, culture and politics. The center, named in honor of the late Professor Ted DeLaney ’85, will be a resource for students and faculty in all three academic units at W&L — The College, the School of Law, and the Williams School of Commerce, Economics and Politics. It will support the development of new courses grounded in the issues, culture and governing practices that have defined and continue to shape the U.S. South and connect faculty from multiple fields with complementary teaching and scholarly interests. It will also host symposia, lectures, confer ences, performances and other programming while supporting students in the production of original research and creative work, community-engaged learning and service opportunities. “I am humbled and inspired by the opportunity to direct the DeLaney Center,” said Hill. “For decades, Ted tirelessly invited W&L to confront its complexity and achieve its loftiest ideals. The center which carries his name extends such endeavors heralding the South’s continuing centrality in 21st-century conversations about democracy. Because of its unique character, our campus should play a major role in promoting research, teaching, and programming that illuminate Southern racial realities. I look forward to developing the rich partnerships that will enable us to achieve this goal.”
IN THE NEWS
New Directions
“I have had great conversations with parents and alumni, from discussing the mortgage crisis with a commercial banker, to connecting with a lobbyist who was interested in WashingtonsupportingTerm.”
Tyler Palicia ’23, Ring-tum Phi op-ed, Nov. 23, 2021
“Most of my takeaways from the Greek Leadership Institute came from small group conversations in which members were willing to be vulnerable and truthfully discuss their fears, aspirations and perspectives on the year ahead.”
John Adekola ’24, Annual Fund Phonathon staff Dorta ’23, women’s basketball team
Ana
Great literature can be disturbing sometimes, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to ban it in schools, especially not if it’s a work as important as ‘Beloved.’ ”
Fun fact @wlulibrary Trey Rachal ’23, president of Phi Kappa Psi, attendee, Greek Leadership Council, Jan. 5-6
“In$30——andtuition1842,wascandlesandfuelcost$12.”
“SOMETHNG WE’VE REALLY STRESSED OVER THE PAST TWO SEASONS IS JUST BEING APPRECIATIVE AND GRATEFUL FOR EVERY MOMENT WE GET TO PLAY TOGETHER AND SHOWING HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE EVERY TIME WE STEP ONTO THE COURT.”
“ 6 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE NOW HEAR THIS
Above all, their most notable gift to me is their friendship. The isolation the COVID-19 pandemic brought forth was taxing. I could not hang out with my friends, and, in those grim times, talking to Ellen and Susan gave me muchneeded solace. I know that even after I graduate, our friendship will continue.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 7 IN THE LEAD
Jack Eason ’22
Riwaj Shrestha ’22 majored in scienceengineering–computerintegratedandminoredinentrepreneurship.HeisabusinessanalystatWorldwideTechnologyinSt.Louis,Missouri. Susan Winstead ’79L (left) and Ellen Owen ’85L (right) traveled to Lexington in May to cheer on Riwaj Shrestha ’22 at his graduation.
SO MANY OF MY MOST important experiences at Washington and Lee revolve around the outdoors. From the minute I stepped on campus, I was immersed in the beauty of the Great Valley of Virginia through the Appalachian Adventure pre-orientation program. From then, I was hooked. I endeavored to spend as much time in the outdoors here around W&L as I could. Serving as an Appalachian Adventure trip leader and Outing Club key staff member, I’ve been fortunate enough to hike, paddle and camp around the area, all while encouraging my fellow students’ love of theHowever,outdoors.it wasn’t until I took my sophomore year intro to geology class with Elizabeth Knapp ’90, professor of geology and director of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity, that I realized how connected W&L is to the outdoors. As we sped through the Blue Ridge, packed in a geology department van, seeing the full extent of the natural beauty surrounding Lexington, I began to realize the power of our surroundings not only as a recreational opportunity, but also as an educational resource. The environment has aided my understanding of everything from sediment deposits in local rivers to the importance of setting up a bear bag when camping. As a former member of the University Sustainability Committee, I encourage students and alumni to consider, as I have, the impact of the natural beauty of Lexington and Rockbridge County on their time and their education at W&L. Our motto, not unmindful of the future, calls us to be forward thinking, and to that goal we must work to secure a future for the university that includes a positive relationship with the space we occupy. Around campus, you’ll see solar panels, rain gardens and compostable packaging — physical repre sentations of our commitment to the environment. Let’s work together to affirm this commit ment so future generations of students can enjoy and benefit from our surroundings.
I first met Ellen Owen ’85L and her sister Susan Winstead ’79L on a fine July afternoon, as they had come back to their alma mater to attend Alumni College. Little did I know then that my summer job working as an RA for the Alumni College would lead to a strong friendship with these two incredible humans who have helped me in more ways I can express. I am proud to call them my American moms. I don’t have any family in America, and except for W&L, no home either. So the times when campus closed and every AMERICAN MOMS: ELLEN OWEN ’85L AND SUSAN WINSTEAD ’79L
one went home for break were especially tough for me. But I am so grateful to have Ellen and Susan because they always looked out for me and did so much to make me feel welcomed in this country. From having me at their home to celebrate Amer ican holidays, getting me school supplies and snacks, and going apart ment hunting with me in a new city, the list of ways they helped me in the past three years goes on and on. The crazy thing is after all that they have never asked for anything in return. Not a thing.
Blue Ridge Beauty
BY RIWAJ SHRESTHA ’22
No matter where I end up, Susan and Ellen will continue to support me and offer advice when needed. Moreover, their mentorship has inspired me to help students in any way I can now that I am an alumnus.
In embracing the Great Valley of Virginia and all its glory, Jack Eason ’22 found joy in the abundant recreational and educational opportunities right in W&L’s backyard.
My mother knows very few English words, but whenever I tell her about Ellen and Susan, she folds her hands, looks to the sky, and calls them “godmoth ers.” I don’t know what that word means, but to me, they are forms of both gods and mothers, and they always will be.
SALUTE
As our mission includes developing the value of engaged citizenship in our graduates, so too does Washington and Lee seek to be a good institutional citizen. Our motto reminds us that we should habitually ask ourselves — both individ ually and collectively — how we can contribute positively to our community, our nation, and the wider world. In 2007, W&L committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We are on track to honor that commitment well ahead of schedule. The latest significant step toward achieving our goal is a new agreement (see p. 10) to establish an offsite solar farm from which the university will purchase energy equivalent to 100% of our campus electricity use. This initiative, combined with other energy-saving measures undertaken in the last 15 years, will result in a cumulative reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions by 63%, even as we have expanded functional campusThere’sspace.work left to do. But we are proud today of this progress for the university, and of the graduates we have sent out into the world. Let us continue striving together to be difference makers in our communities. We are proud to have prepared our students well not only for personal success, but for thecitizenshipengagedinfuturethatawaitsthem.” ,,
NOT UNMINDFUL OF THE FUTURE
BY WILL DUDLEY, PRESIDENT IN MAY, I STOOD ON THE commencement stage in front of the Class of 2022, bidding farewell to the students who had completed their time in Lexington and were heading out into the world. This is as it should be. Education is the process of preparing young people for their futures, which is why our university motto, non incautus futuri, is so Theappropriate.membersof the under graduate and law classes of 2022 will embark upon a wide array of careers and post-graduate experiences. A record number of them won prestigious fellowships to pursue their passions around the world. Their success is not unusual. Approximately 95% of our undergraduate and law students are employed or in graduate school shortly after graduation. We are proud to have prepared our students well not only for personal success, but for engaged citizenship in the future that awaits them. How do I know? Just look at our alumni. The profiles that you’ll read in this issue are a testament to the endur ing value of a Washington and Lee education, and to our graduates’ ability to make important differences in their communities and professions in a variety of ways.
8 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE DISTINCTIVELY W&L
POST-GRADUATE OUTCOMES From graduate school to Wall Street firms to fellowships, newly minted alumni are ready to lead lives of consequence. Here’s a brief sampling of where they’re headed. More profiles at go.wlu.edu/outcomes-2022. Jackson Sharman ’22: staff, Rep. Jerry Carl, Washington, D.C. Val Sokolow ’22: healthcare data analyst, Washington, D.C. Jamie Spanfeller ’22: editorial assistant, Women’s Health magazine, New York City Erin Addison ’22: Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship, Uruguay Rett Daugbjerg ’22: analyst, JLL Capital Markets, Atlanta Coby Kirkland ’22: internship in sports helmet design, Riddell; then Perdue University Kristen Xu ’22: global marketing coordinator, NARS Cosmetics, New York City Leah Jackson ’22: M.S. in media, medicine and health at Harvard Medical School, Boston Rob Rosen ’22: analyst, SVB Securities, Charlotte, North Carolina MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 9 DUBYUHNELL DAY
BY LINDSEY NAIR
An offsite solar farm will allow W&L to purchase the energy equivalent of 100% of campus electricity use, lowering its greenhouse gas emissions, saving money and steadily closing in on its goal of carbon neutrality.
sunspots
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The deal, facilitated in partnership with advisory firm CustomerFirst Renewables, allows the university to significantly lower its greenhouse gas emissions, reduce long-term energy cost uncertainty and accelerate progress to meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
he long-term virtual power purchase agreement, which has been several years in the making, establishes a partnership between W&L and solar energy developer SunEnergy1, which will build, own and operate a 17-megawatt offsite solar farm in North Carolina. W&L will purchase the power produced from 11 of those megawatts, an annual total of MWh that is more than enough to match annual campus electricity use.
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“This project represents a huge step forward, creating new solar capacity in a way that advances renewable energy in our region, not just on our campus,” said Jane Stewart, director of sustainability. “Meeting climate-related challenges requires us to widen our per spective and think about systems and solutions in a new way. In committing to this project, W&L has done just that.” W&L leadership has long been invested in sustainability, signing the American Colleges and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007 and establishing a long-term Climate Action Plan in 2010, which was updated in 2019. The university has worked diligently to advance those goals, with a particular focus on reducing campus energy consumption, which represents the biggest portion of the campus carbon footprint.
Steve McAllister, vice president for finance, said the new solar project could generate a net present value gain of $1.8 million over the next 20 years, effectively setting the energy production costs for W&L’s electricity purchase for the next two decades at a level currently below the market rate. The project did not happen overnight or come easily. Stewart first began to dream of such a deal in 2016 after attending the annual Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit. W&L had already installed two solar arrays on campus — one on the roof of Lewis Hall and one on the parking deck. A third, on the student pavilion, has since been added. Although significant, especially for a small institution, those arrays have a combined capicity of 575 kW — a fraction of the university’s annual electricity needs.
Over the last decade, W&L has reduced campus greenhouse gas emis sions by 42%. The new solar purchase will cover all emissions associated with campus electricity. Sustainability work at W&L has also saved substantial dollars; today, the university’s annual utility spend is $1 million less than it was in 2007 — despite the expansion of the physical campus — and that money has been used to advance the institution’s strategic goals.
irginia utility market regulations allow retail customers a generating capacity of three MW of renewable energy per year on-site, so building more on-site arrays — already a difficult proposition because of land constraints — was not a viable solution. A presentation at the 2016 conference, followed by consultation with experts and significant research, inspired Stewart to explore a solution by way of the deregu lated wholesale energy market. She found that W&L could purchase renewable energy that is fed into the regional power grid, from which the state’s electricity utilities, including Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, pull. With an adequately sized purchase, W&L could match the full annual campus usage. Finding a location for a solar farm required significant work, as well. W&L leaders wanted to avoid clearing forested land or negatively impacting native flora and fauna, and they wanted to ensure support from the community around the site. In addition, it felt right to find a solar farm in W&L’s own region to help advance the local renewable energy market.
The final location — just over the Virginia-North Carolina border in Hertford, North Carolina — is in the same market region as W&L. The project will be built on former farmland in a region that has embraced solar devel opment. Sited on more than 100 acres of land, the array will generate enough renewable energy to avoid emissions equivalent to electricity consumed by 2,800 U.S. homes. “Our goal was to try and neutralize Scope 2 emissions (green house gas emissions associated with purchased energy) by 2029, and this will do that in one fell swoop,” Stewart said.
n v 100% OFFSET OF ELECTRICITYEMISSIONSGREENHOUSEW&L’SGASFROM $1.8 M PROJECTED NET PRESENT VALUE GAIN OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS 11 MW EQUALS 100% OF ELECTRICITY USE ACROSS CAMPUS 2050 W&L’S TARGET DATE TO ACHIEVE CARBON NEUTRALITY Power up Learn more about W&L’s sustainability initiatives: go.wlu.edu/power-up
In siting the array, Stewart said, the goal is to add pollinator-friendly plants and landscaping. “Using pollina tor-friendly planting under large arrays creates a healthy habitat for pollinators, as well as birds and local wildlife, and research shows that boosting pollinator productivity this way actually increases crop yields at nearby farms,” she said. “We are trying to be thoughtful about all of these pieces.”
Under the Baobab Tree
Along the way, she also learned that much of the continent’s agricultural economy is dependent upon the labor of women, who often see little economic benefits ➤
nutrient-richnatural,foodscanhealnotonlythebody,buttheeconomyofherhomelandaswell.
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Rebecca Bakare ’ 19 believes
How one W&L graduate empowers women farmers in Africa.
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY RALPH BERRIER JR. PHOTOS BY MOJISOLA BAKARE BY MELINDA JOSIE Bakare, who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, learned first hand about the benefits of African “super foods” when she dealt with a series of health problems that included crippling menstrual cramps and skin conditions, such as eczema. She said that her health improved after she supplemented her diet with hibiscus and the powders made from fruits of baobab and moringa trees, an experience that inspired the economics major to start a business that sells African botanical products.
Rebecca Bakare ’19 is the founder and CEO of Mama’s Creation Foods.
themselves for their work. That’s why her company, Mama’s Creation Foods, offers more than just healthy foods and nutritional supplements. It offers hope and economic power to African women farmers and producers, too.
“I have a passion for women’s empowerment, especially in a way that enables women to support their families, their com munity’s development and their kids’ educational outcomes,” Bakare said during a Zoom interview from Lagos. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute, more than 60% of all working women south of the Sahara work in agriculture, but discriminatory laws and customs often keep women from owning land or reaping the financial rewards of being farmers. Many of these women live in poverty.
Mama’s Creation Foods sources its ingredients directly from African women farmers and producers, Bakare said, and connects them directly with consumers by telling their stories. Even though her company is barely two years old, Bakare said that some of the company’s women suppliers have already been able to hire more workers — also women and mothers — which helps the economy of an entire community. The company’s website (www.mamascreationfoods.com) features two women, Kelechi and Brenda, who say their partnership with Mama’s Creation Foods has allowed them to expand their own businesses. “So far I have grown and deepened my interaction with other women in my community,” Kelechi, a producer in Mama’s Creation Foods sources its product from abundant resources,agriculturalwhichoffer a range of highly nutritious crops. Ingredients are either harvested from the wild or sustainably and organically cultivated by women in African communities.
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That’s all part of Bakare’s business plan. “I wanted to create a social enterprise that supports the women who cultivate these products,” she said.
In a way, Mama’s Creation Foods completes a circle for Bakare, whose father, a businessman, owned and operated fruit and poultry farms in Lagos and Ogun State, Nigeria. As a girl she fed chickens, fished, gathered eggs and climbed trees — unknowingly preparing herself for a business life in agriculture.
Even the packaging is reusable. Although she plans to distribute some products in physical stores, most sales are currently through the company website.
“I received hands-on experience when it came to agriculture,” she said. “From a young age, I had an appreciation for and have been curious about the natural world.” n
“I wanted to use business as a force for good and move away from the aid mentality,” she said. Even so, the evolution of her company surprised her. “If you had told me in early 2019 that I would start a business, I would have said, ‘That’s nuts, that’s not me!’”
Nigeria. “I am also providing jobs for five more women.”
hile at washington and lee, bakare took several classes affiliated with the Shepherd Poverty Program and on the management of social-impact organizations, which helped her refine the focus of her startup. After working with the northern Virginia-based Citadel Foundation for Kids, a nongovernmental organization that serves underprivileged children in Ghana and nonprofit groups like Ashoka, Bakare was motivated to put her educa tion to work on behalf of those experiencing abject poverty in Africa. She decided to use a for-profit social enterprise, rather than nonprofit aid work, to improve people’s lives.
Many of the plants Bakare uses in her products — such as the fruit from the baobab tree illustrated on p. 12 — grow easily across sub-Saharan Africa making them a perfect fit for her vision of sustainable agriculture.
In late 2020, she established the company with help of family and “one or two women mentors who are passionate and who understand the need for what Mama’s Creation Foods is doing.” The company is based in South Africa, the United States and Canada (where it is registered under the name Mama’s Natural Foods Inc.). Bakare makes sure her products — which consist primarily of powdered supple ments and wellness products that can be added to liquids and foods, such as salads, oatmeal and smoothies — meet all regulations and are ethically produced.
RED-LEAVEDAMARANTHHIBISCUS
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MORINGA LEAVES
Brenda, a farmer and producer in Zimbabwe, said she, too, has expanded her business and hired more women. “I am providing job opportunities for other women in my community who are now able to send their children to school.”
LOCAL INGREDIENTS
GREENS
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Farming in these lands is not easy, but women need to put food on the table. “There are more women than men working the land,” said Bakare. “Women often cultivate or produce nutrient-rich foods for home use. They don’t look at it as a business in a commercial sense. They do it because they want to feed their families without depending on other people.”
ROCKETBillBenson’92figuredouthispersonaltrajectoryearlyon. 16 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
ERICH
ROCKET MAN BY BARBARA ELLIOTT
OF THE ORION
➤
CHEMISTRY
BENTLEY
Fascinated by space travel as a child, he initially wanted to be an astronaut. He changed course when he decided it would be even more rewarding to figure out how the rocket knows where to go.
PHOTO GALAXY BY UFFELMAN, PROFESSOR OF
Bill Benson ’92 worked on NASA’s Space Launch System which will enable astronauts to begin their journey into deep space.
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W&L might not seem like the obvious choice for someone aiming for a career as an aerospace engineer, but Benson was intentional in his decision to go a small liberal arts school instead enroll ing in a large engineering program.
The SLS and the Orion spacecraft, part of the Artemis program that has a short-term goal of landing the first woman and first person of color on the moon. The first uncrewed test launch is scheduled for late summer 2022.
“At a big engineering school you would be drinking from the fire hose from the start with a heavy emphasis on the technical side of your education,” he said. “At a place like W&L, there are more opportunities to explore who you are and to see things from a broader context. I wanted to go to a place where I would fully develop as a person, to find out what the action vector for the rest of my life would be.”
“Everyone seemed pulled together, with an eye on what’s coming afterwards, and I thought ‘that’s who I want to be.’
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Benson firmly believes that his W&L education prepared him for his role at NASA. In recent years he has reached out to encourage students and alumni to
Attracted by the small classes and friendly environment at W&L, Benson also was impressed with the professional appearance and conduct he observed in students he met during campus visits.
In a lot of ways W&L made me who I am. Not just the faculty, but also my fellow students.”
hat quest ultimately led him to the NASA Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center, where he has spent the past 19 years as a guidance, navigation and control engineer, designing missions that launch unmanned scientific spacecraft to the moon, Mars and beyond. During his career, he has amassed years of experi ence in the areas of robotics, software development, flight controls, trajectory analysis and mission guidance.
FINDING HIS ACTION VECTOR
He was gratified to find that there was an impressive engineering lab, and he benefited from frequent interactions with professors like Kenneth Van Ness and Robert Akins. Because he wasn’t totally immersed in a tech-heavy program, he also was able to explore other interests, including completing a second major in East Asian Studies.
One of Benson’s career highlights was as the senior flight designer for the Parker Solar Probe. Launched in 2018, it was the first spacecraft to “touch the sun” by flying into the low solar corona. The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.
Benson’s current projects include working with SpaceX on the launch of the first element of the Gateway space station that will be put in orbit around the moon. Another project is the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), which will be used to bring samples of Martian rego lith collected by the Perseverance rover.
Benson’s team oversaw designing, developing and building the launch vehicle and integrating the spacecraft with the launch service provider. “The concept for the mission dated back to the ’50s,” Benson explained. “The latest concept began in the 2009-10 time frame. It is not unusual for big flagship projects to develop like that. We had to question whether we even had a launch vehicle solution. For this mission, we used the largest rocket available at that time. Even then, we had to add onto it. It was not until around 2015 that we had the requirements and configuration to go to procurement for bids.”
MORE ABOUT BILL DISTINGUISHED MILITARY GRAD Benson attended W&L on a ROTC Scholarship. After graduating cum laude as a distinguished military graduate, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Army and served four years, including stints in Kuwait and Bosnia.
“ MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 19
enter the field. In 2020 he participated in Professor Joel Kuehner’s capstone class as part of a physics and engineering career series. More recently he did a Zoom presentation ( go.wlu.edu/flyme tothemoon) on the history and future of space travel in a program sponsored by the Office of Lifelong Learning. “We need more people with the W&L perspective in this field,” he said.
IT ACTUALLY IS ROCKET SCIENCE
At a big engineering school you would be drinking from the fire hose from the start. At W&L, there are more opportunities to explore who you are, and to see things from a broader context.”
POSTGRAD After earning a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M in 1999, he worked for Raytheon Systems Co. before joining NASA.
ON THE HORIZON As a child enthralled by space travel, Benson thought people would be living and working on the moon by now. Although we aren’t there yet, he believes it is feasible that within the next 50 years commercial space travel may be possible for people who are not dot-com billionaires. “Commercial sub-orbital flights are coming. If you fly over 100 kilometers, NASA says you’re an astronaut. A commercial space station is coming,” he predicted. However, he noted that creating an infrastructure that will make it possi ble to live and work on the moon is an order of magnitude more difficult and is decades away. He believes the approach of private firms like SpaceX are helping to accelerate the process. “Elon Musk has shown that making ridiculous goals means it will happen sooner. If you have realistic goals, politics intervenes and slows it down,” he commented. He said that with the NASA approach to systems engineering, you don’t cut metal until all the analysis is done. It is a proven approach, but it does take time. SpaceX starts off with baby steps and adds on. “With that approach, there’s fire — it looks like something is happening.”Giventhechance, would this once-aspiring astronaut allow himself to be launched into outer space? “Going into space on a privately owned and operated spacecraft is a recurring topic of conversation in our group,” he said. “Some of the private companies are more rigorous than others in their approach to safety. Some designs are more inherently safe than others.” Even so, he says that should the opportunity arise, he is ready for lift-off. n
Benson’s role not only involved developing technical requirements for the launch vehicle but also navigating the delicate relationships among teams within and outside NASA whose cultures do not always align. “All our rockets are provided by private corporations like SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Northrop Grumman. They all have a different approach.” Benson said. In addition to the government-versus-private sector dichotomy, he also works with interna tional teams whose culture may differ from NASA’s. “We had the big picture, but I did a lot of hand-holding with industry partners. We were the last line of defense to make sure everything came together. There were tough problems to solve all the way to the end.” For his stellar work on the Parker Solar Probe, Benson was named the 2019 Kennedy Center Employee of the Year. Although the honor only netted him a better parking space and a few extra paid leave days, he says the real reward was the recognition by his peers. “NASA is a wonderful place,” he said. “They are excellent about acknowledging accomplishments, and it is very rewarding work. You always have someone to consult with, and we are always checking with each other. You can’t let ego get in the way. We are all interested in mission success. Missions can go on for 10 years or more, and the data collected will inform future missions. It is true of all our missions that for as long as we still have the data, the mission will live forever.”
When Meg Ingram ’12 returned to her alma mater in October 2021 and spied rows of rainbow flags arrayed in front of Elrod Commons, she couldn’t help but think what a difference a decade had made.
BY JEFF HANNA
“Maybe everyone says this once they get 10 years or so removed,” said Ingram, “but today’s students seem much, much bolder.” Resource Center celebrates its 10th anniversary.
➤ W&LGBTQ Our
+
That display, recognizing Pride Week, reminded Ingram of the lively debate among members of the university’s LGBTQ community about whether to fly a rainbow flag at the LGBTQ Resource Center when it opened in the fall of 2011.
20 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
As president of the Executive Committee, Elizabeth Mugo ’19 advocated for more collaboration between Greek leadership and student organizations to help create an environment that felt like home for everyone. “I know that being queer at W&L isn’t an easy experience, and I’m proud to celebrate the work of the Resource Center and all the ways it’s provided space for students to be themselves.”
clockwise from top • The Pride Festival on Hopkins Green • GLBTQ Resource Center founders: Front row, l. to r.: Scott Weingart ’13L, Kris McClellan ’13L, Joshua Bareño ’13, Kim Marston ’13L, Jeromey Mann ’14, Anthony Ballor ’12, Dessie Otachliska ’12 and Max Brooks ’13. Back row, l. to r.: David Margolies ’12, T.J. Fisher ’15, Garrett Koller ’14 and De-Anna Clarke ’13 • Rallie Snowden, LGBTQ coordinator, and Jake Reeves, assistant director of inclusion and engagement for LGBTQ+ support.
22 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
In 2012, Ingram and Dessie Otachliyska ’12, ’21L created the first Equality Gala for those who were uncomfortable attending Fancy Dress with their partners. From its inception, the gala has invited LGBTQ students from other campuses, as well as members of the Lexington community, to Theattend.Equality Gala remains a major feature on the university calendar and received a financial boost in 2019 from the James R. Early ’59 Endowment for LGBTQ Programming, established by Early and his husband, Garland Tillery.
VIRGINIA EQUALITYCOLLEGESGALA
“We started well behind the curve,” said Luder, who joined the university in 2004 as a full-time clinician in the University Counseling Center. “But there were active and, I think, very effective measures implemented to provide support for LGBTQ students. I don’t know of any other school that has made the kind of rapid change that we made.” Chris Washnock ’12 was out when he arrived in the fall of 2008. He remembered seeing a profile of Will Chamberlin ’08 on the W&L website, which referred to his presidency of the Gay Straight Alliance.
In the 2early000s,
An annual picnic serves as a welcoming event each fall, and attendance has been consistently strong. “But, as in most places, there’s a lot of work to be done and miles to go before we are where we want to be,” she said. “Our goal is for the LGBTQ students to feel welcomed and nurtured on this campus.
“I’d been president of the LGBTQ group in my high school in Miami. For someone who was very confident and very com fortable with their sexual orientation and with their heritage, being a double minority at W&L was shocking,” said Bareño, who is Essence’s multicultural lead for its Google business and was named one of Business Insider’s 50 Rising Stars of Madison Avenue last year. “I do look back with a lot of pride on things we accomplished,” said Bareño.
“The Resource Center was a group effort, without a doubt.”
— CHRIS WASHNOCK ’12 MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 23
“I think many of the challenges and experiences that I faced, I wanted to make sure other people didn’t have to go through that. The center, for me, was a physical manifestation of the change we made. It’s going to be a very emotional moment for me when I do get to see the Resource Center. It will be a full circle moment.” n
I’ve seen positive change in that regard since I Joshuaarrived.”Bareño ’13 has yet to visit the Resource Center in the Red House but has been thinking about the facility.
“That was pretty huge for me,” Washnock said. “Here was this guy who was a successful student and was moving to New York after graduation with a great job lined up.” On campus, Washnock discovered that not only was it easy to find the group of gay students at the university but also that the LGBTQ population was one of the most diverse on campus by any measure — gender, geographic, socio-economic, racial. There were athletes and artists, Greek members and independents, too.
One of the organization’s primary goals was securing a physical space for meet ings and socializing. Washnock said the university administration, from President Ken Ruscio ’76 on down, was extremely accommodating. And there was plenty of support from the entire W&L community, too. “The Resource Center was a group effort, without a doubt,” said Washnock, who is strategic projects officer for Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City.
“The Resource Center addresses the central issue of LGBTQ identity,” said Jake Reeves, assistant director of inclusion and engagement for LGBTQ+ support. “Having a physical location where people can see a pride flag hanging outside, a place where programming is done, where professional staff are working with students — all of that tells people we’re not going to keep this identity hidden. We want to celebrate it.”
Bareño succeeded Washnock as president of GEI and readily admits W&L was a challenge for him, both as a gay man and as one of the few Hispanic students.
Rallie Snowden, LGBTQ coordinator, said the LGTBQ students have worked hard to emphasize that the Resource Center is open to everyone and to get more allies to spend time at the facility.
Once the Resource Center opened in Hill House, it quickly became Ingram’s “safe space.” She would often retreat there late at night and sit on the porch, which was directly across from the Warner Center where she enjoyed a record-setting career for the women’s basketball team. “I’d practice, then go right across the street,” she said. “It was a huge thing for me.”
many gay students had been gathering for Friday afternoon sessions at Hopkins House on West Nelson Street, the office of Dr. Kirk Luder, who was serving as a consulting psychiatrist for the university.
As much as it was a space for formal meetings and informal socializing, the center had a symbolic significance, which continues to this day. It served, and con tinues to serve, as a key point of reference to those inside and outside the university.
Washnock helped rebrand and relaunch the GLBT Equality Initiative (GEI) in 2011 and was its first president.
Luder said that because many gay students were closeted and terrified of coming out, meeting even a block away from campus offered a necessary level of anonymity.
24 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Mike Singleton
OFFICE HOURS
The soccer coach’s winning formula is all about recruiting hungry players, teaching them about the privilege of playing and, most of all, being kids on the field.
BY LOUISE UFFELMAN • PHOTO BY SHELBY MACK
KIDS ON THE FIELD
MORE ABOUT MIKE PITCH PERFECT Singleton is a 1995 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in psychology and English. He earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Purdue University in 1998. He currently holds a USSF “A” License, a FIFA Futuro III Diploma and a NSCAA Premier License.
DESCRIBE THE IDEAL TEAM
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 25
When I started here the team was a very different animal and this was a very different job. We didn’t have a whole lot of depth, and they had been playing a different style. For the first few years it was very much about finding the best players at whatever position they’re at, making sure they’re hungry and enthusiastic and, obviously, academically able to succeed here. In the last few years, we’ve been in the Sweet 16 [at the NCAA Division III Tourna ment] three of the last four years, and our reputation is estab lished — people are starting to see that we’re pretty good. Now we look at how we strengthen certain areas of our team — what positionsspecializedorskill sets fit our needs. One of most valuable assets in building the team is acquiring that player who is hungry. That seems pretty simple. But for an athlete to be hungry, we want them to be comfortable going after the chance to change the game. We don’t want them to play safe. We want them to be confident and eager to be a significant team member. When we recruit players, I ask them specific questions, and I give adaptability.aboutbecauseishisratedwhetherlater,thattheypurposely,Iconstructivethemfeedback.doitdirectly,verytoseehowreact.WhenIseeplayersixmonthsItakenoteofhe’sincorpothatfeedbackintoplay.Thatmindsetveryimportantittellsmethatplayer’s
Our 2021 spring season was absurd. The pandemic put most of the players into quarantine and isola tion, and those who were playing were out of shape and unfocussed. But it was very useful in getting the guys to understand that playing is a privilege, and they have to do the work for the right to play. They took that to heart, and during the 2022 fall preseason I saw how hard they had worked to get back into shape. The seniors realized that they had essentially missed their junior year, and that’s what drove them. During our team meeting, we went over some goals, one of which was to make the final eight. But after some heated arguments, the decision was to go for the national title. The takeandwastoknowbasicallyupperclassmensaid,“Wewehavethetalentdoit.”Forthem,itauniquesituation,theyweregoingtoadvantageofit.
These are the moments where we need to teach our students how to manage their emotions and reactions to negative events. Whether it be next season, off the field, or even later in life, having such skills will help them forever.
PLAYING PRIVILEGES
“They always need to laugh. They always need to enjoy the game. If they’re not having fun, they’re not going to be the best they can be.”
TAKE NOTE Singleton added: “Not every player will be a starter or a hero on the field. But these students commit to their role on the team with humbleness and enthusiasm. Their youthful exuberance is inspiring.”
ABOUT THAT RED FLAG
At the national semifinals, one of our players got a red card for a foul he didn’t commit, and that changed the game for us. Players obviously were extremely bitter and angry about it. That is understandable but not helpful, and I always ask my players to focus on improve ment. For this case, I encouraged them to bottle up those harsh feelings and take a sip from the bottle every time they workout or train. Doing so will aid the intensity of the workout and push the players to control.weoutcome.can’tortocomingwecan’tmakesifmaximally.improveInthefuture,wehavearefereewhoabadcall,wechangethat.Ifgettonationalsthisseason,weneedscoreanothergoaltwosoabadcallaffecttheoverallThatiswhatcanandshould
UNDER THE LIGHTS
One of the things that makes our team successful is that they really like each other — not just on the field. They’re getting together off the field all the time. They’re visiting each other before preseason starts, which I think is crazy because you spend that period just living, eating and breathing together for two to three weeks. Sure, we’re very particular about who we recruit because we don’t want to bring in personalities that might have a negative tilt, but one of the things that’s important is they always need to laugh. They always need to enjoy the game. If they’re not having fun, they’re not going to be the best they can be. I really do believe we need to make sure that they feel like kids on the field. That warm-up routine where they’re playing tag still makes the seniors giggle.
“The newly installed lights at Watt Field really come into play when we go off Daylight Saving Time,” said Singleton. “Being able to use the full field to prepare for the NCAA Tourney helped us greatly.”
LIVES OF CONSEQUENCE
26 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Jim Lawson ’77 has been hiring W&L grads since 1999.
BY TAYLOR BRYANT A Natural Fit
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDUcollege.’”
Prior to capitalcapitalinvolvedinitiallyandinUBS.whichberfinancepresidentservedtions.cross-borderofficeestablishedboutique,PeersasLincoln,co-foundingLawonservedaseniorofficerat&Co.,anM&AwherehetheChicagoandworkedontransacLawsonalsoasaseniorviceincorporateforPaineWebIncorporated,wasacquiredbyThere,heworkedboththeNewYorkChicagooffices,asageneralistinequitymarketanddebtmarketdeals and then as part of the M&A group. The company now has 22 offices in 16 countries.
Many of W&Lcareers.tolaunchhaveInternational’sLincolnrecruitsusedthefirmasapadtomoveonothersuccessfulLincoln’sfirsthire,Hudson Smith ’99, is recognized as one of the leading private equity software investors in the country. Ann Richard Quandt ’01 was Lincoln’s first woman hire. She is now the COO of Upstream USA, a fast-growing nonprofit focused on women’s health in the U.S. More recently, Tom Concklin ’17 joined Lincoln after graduation and has been promoted to vice president of Lincoln’s healthcare investment banking sector.
“People who have never heard of W&L before meeting the alumni working at Lincoln consistently say, ‘We need to hire more people from W&L,’ and ‘When my kids get old enough, they should consider going to W&L for
MORE ABOUT JIM
“At a smaller school, you get the focused attention of professors and other mentors,” explained aopportunityadvisorsattentionfirm,member“Similarly,Lawson.asajuniorofasmallyougettheoftheseniorandhaveantomakedifference.”
CURRICULUM VITAE Lawson earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business after completing his B.S. in business administration and accounting.
“At a smaller school, you get the focused attention of professors and other mentors. Similarly, as a junior member of a small firm, you get the attention of the senior advisors and have an opportunity to make a difference.”
PATH TO SUCCESS
PAYING IT FORWARD The Lawson Family Scholarship supports students populationsunderrepresentedfromintheChicagoarea. W&L SERVICE Lawson served on the Williams School Advisory Committee from 2012–19, was a class agent from 2008–20 and was a member of his 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th and 45th class committees.reunion
27
the entirely student-run Honor System. As Lawson noted, W&L fosters a self-starter mindset. “If you just go to class, study and come home, you don’t get the leadership opportunities. “To be entrepreneur ial,” he added, “you have to have the confidence to try and risk failure. People are far more likely to take risks when they feel supported. W&L provides a supportive community where students are encouraged to explore their interests and take risks. Moreover, he believes W&L students are interpersonally.”theyandshiptheyclassesarrayhaveschoolsgraduateswell-roundedmorethanfromotherbecause“theytakenabroaderofacademicandinterests,havemoreleaderopportunitiesexperience,andareconfident
DEPTH & BREADTH Lincoln International doesn’t only recruit from W&L — the company consistently recruits from Ivy League schools, as well as strong opportunities,uniquehirebilitymaximizesrecruitminimizescareerschoolsweexplained.isthemstudentsteamexcellentFirst,outW&Linstitutions.publicHowever,graduatesstandfortworeasons.W&Lhasancareerservicesthatknowstheirandpreparesverywell.“Allrecruitershavetheirtime,”Lawson“Therefore,focusoureffortsonwheretheservicesteamtheefforttopeopleandtheprobaofbeingabletofromthatschool.”Second,W&Loffersleadershipsuchas
OUTSTANDING CREDITIALS
Jim Lawson ’77 believes that the skills devel oped through a liberal arts education, such as problem solving, creative thinking and leadership, largerschoolchoiceW&LaLawson,Virginia.smalleredwouldn’tInternationalalumnus,personaladvisorsandmid-marketthenowinmorefourfromthesinceover1996,LawsoncialmentindependentInternational,Thisthesionalswell-roundedcreateprofeswhothriveincorporatesetting.iswhyLincolnaninvestbankandfinanservicescompanyco-foundedinhasrecruited31W&Lalumni1999.Sinceitsinception,firmhasgrownastartupwithpeopletoonewiththan20offices16countries.Itranksasoneof10mostactivemergersacquisitionsintheworld.WithoutLawson’sinterestasanLincolnlikelyhaveconsidrecruitingfromaschoolinruralHowever,toitseemedtobenaturalfit.Afterall,studentsmakethetogotoasmallasopposedtoauniversity.
LIVES OF CONSEQUENCE
‘Save the Whales’ A passionate conservationist, Niquole Esters ’04 has crafted complex approaches encompassing multiple countries to improve ocean health and benefit local communities.
BY BETH JOJACK
28 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
SET AFLOAT Esters first got her foot in the door at CI as a senior at W&L. A double major in politics and geology, Esters told Professor Bill Connelly she hoped to find a job where she could help preserve the environ ment. He responded by digging around in one of his desk drawers until he pulled out a business card for John Buchanan ’91, then senior director of business practices for Conserva tion insomewherebepolicy,understandingdevelopgraduatesheEstersoftrippolicy.atraveledimplementationworkedprogram.alassociatejobturnedisthethingssays,marineinternshipandmentandcommunicationrecognizedtions,esThroughproductiondentBuchanan,success“NiquoleInternational.ismygreatstory,”saidvicepresiofsustainableatCI.emailexchangandphoneconversaBuchananherstrongskillspassionatecommittotheenvironmenthelpedherlandanwithCI’sprogram.“Whensomebody‘OneofthegreataboutW&Lisalumninetwork,’ittrue,”Esterssaid.Thatinternshipintoafull-timeasaresearchintheRegionMarineStrategiesThere,EstersonprogramandtoPortugalforconferenceonoceanItwasherfirstabroad.Bytheendthatconference,knewtwothings:wantedtoattendschooltoabetterofoceanandthatitmightpossibletodoitotherthantheUnitedStates.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
sheThat’smale-dominatedtypicallypositioncoloronlyMoreover,International.sheisoneofafewwomenofinaleadershipinwhathasbeenafield.somethingelsehopestochange.
“From third grade forward, it’s always been about the oceans.”
During a visit to SeaWorld as a child, Niquole Esters ’04 interviewed an orca trainer for a school report and watched a show featuring the whales, which were officially her new favorite animal. “From third grade forward, it’s always been about the oceans,” she said. A running joke in her family is “Are you out there saving the whales?” While she didn’t end up becoming a “whale specialist,” Esters has spent more than 15 years working to protect the environment and ocean habitats through her career with Conser vation
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
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Esters relocated to Oakland, California, where she now works as a senior director in development for CI. Raising money, Esters emphasized, is hard — particularly during a pandemic — but she’s figuring it out. “Private philanthropy is about learning who an individual is,” she said. “What are their interests? What kind of impact do they want to Downmake?”the road, her goal is to continue growing as an environ mental leader, one with a reputation for drawing in a more diverse group of people to fight for the conser vation of important natural resources. “I was always very aware of the fact that I was one of the only black or brown faces in the room,” Esters said of her career experience. “A personal passion of mine is foropportunitycreatingandaccesspeopleofcolor.”MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU
For an example of how ocean life impacted history read “Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World” by Mark Kurlansky. He’s also written “Salt: A World History” and “The Big Oyster: A History on the Half Shell.”
Esters to director of its CTI program. “I was not only running the program,” she explained, “I was actually provid ing strategic advice across the Asia-Pacific region to leaders and officials from different governments who were working to figure out how to inreadyshesixgovernmentswithresourceframeworkthethesetranslateButagreement.CFF.sectionsimplementoftheCTI-YoucansignanThat’seasy.thenyouhavetoit—whatdowordsmeanongroundinreallife?”Hashingoutaformarinemanagementthedifferenttookaboutyears.Bythetimefinished,Estersfelttotakehercareeradifferentdirection.
LAWS OF THE SEAS Esters ended up at King’s College London for its master’s degree in geopolitics, territory and security. Her research focused on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international agreement which established rules governing all uses of theAfteroceans.completing her degree in 2008, Esters returned to CI to serve as coordinator for the nonprofit’s work with the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTICFF). The andprojectalsoorganizations,officialspersonorganization’sworldtraveledHawaii,Estersandsecurity,issuesresourcesmarineteIslandsNewPhilippines,Indonesia,thepartnershipmultilateralbetweengovernmentsofMalaysia,PapuaGuinea,SolomonandTimor-Lesisdesignedtoprotectandcoastalbyaddressingsuchasfoodclimatechangemarinebiodiversity.Forthejob,CIbasedinHonolulu,andshealloverthetoserveasthepointforgovernmentandpartnerwhileassistingwithmanagementfundraising.In2013,CIpromoted
MORE NIQUOLEABOUTFAVORITEW&LPROF Professor Bill Connelly gave me the connection I needed to start my adult life one week before graduation — I was sweating that one pretty hard. He also made learning about Congress ainterestingincrediblyandinspiredlifelonginterest.
1. Jennifer Jacob ’04 in Hawaii.
4. Bill Kauffman ’57, who dedicated his walk to the late Coach Norm Lord, took his 5K to a whole other level. He wrote, “The first photo is of me at the start in required conventional dress (taken in 1954 on his way to class). Next is me at the finish! I have shed coat and tie and shirt! However, I’m still wearing my white bucks and sporting a W&L sun bucket. My strategy to accomplish the 5K walk was to start off slow, and then taper. It worked! My very best regards to all those who helped set this up, and to all runners & walkers who participated.
EVENTS YOUNG ALUMNI WEEKEND
30 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE CLASS UPDATES AND SUCCESS STORIES
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MAY 4–7 Come one and all to celebrate your milestone reunions during one of the loveliest times on campus. See you soon! SEND US UPDATES Use magazine@wlu.edu to send: Wedding and other photos Changes of subscriptionaddress/questions Letters to the WashingtonMagazineand Lee University 7 Courthouse Square 204 W. Washington St. Lexington, Virginia 24450-2116
2. Enjoying each other’s company on the High Bridge trail in Farmville, Virginia, were John Stafford ’79, Billy Giles ’61, Stuart Fauber ’70, David Kympton ’70, Norwood Morrison ’70, Jay Denny ’ 73, Gregg Amonette ’75 and George Calvert ’73.
3. Mike Burns ’77 with his running/walking partners Marley and Phoebe.
Last year’s Virtual 5K run/walk was such a success that we decided to do it again. A round of applause for all who participated. View the complete listing of age-bracket winners and the photos at go.wlu.edu/alumni-5K And let’s do it again next year!
ALUMNI WEEKEND
1 2 3 4
CHAPTER CORNER OFF TO THE RACES
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OCT. 28–29 Join your classmates, visit with your favorite faculty, make new friends and enjoy the beautiful fall color. All alumni from 2012 to 2022 are most cordially invited.
editor W&L
STAY IN TOUCH Submit a class note: colonnadeconnections. wlu.edu or magazine@wlu.edu
“We just realized we had the same chemistry, and we’ve never had a major disagreement,” Gallivan said. “And we still haven’t,” Hollis added. Hollis was president of the Executive Committee, president of the student body, and president of Fancy Dress Committee at W&L. Gallivan played football and was a member of the track and field team. After W&L, both men married women from Atlanta who happened to know one another. They were in each other’s weddings and had children around the same ages. Hollis asked Gallivan to be godfather to his son Lee Hollis ’86.
1973 Robert B. Hatchett has authored “Tide water Spirit: Cultural Landmarks, Monuments & History of Eastern Virginia” (The History Press), which pairs his photography with the writings of Capt. John Smith, William Byrd II and Thomas Jefferson. 1976 On Aug. 7, 2021, Lt. Col. (retired) Michael Okin became the commander-in-chief91stoftheMilitaryOrderoftheWorldWars,anassociationofmilitaryofficersformedafterWorldWarIbyGen.JohnJ.Pershing.PresentattheceremonyinDearborn,Michiganwere Col. (retired) Ken McCreedy ’76 and Gary Okin ’74 , Michael’s brother. Okin lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, and is retired from medi cal practice. 1977 Col. Tom Greenwood published an article in the October issue of the Naval Institute Proceed ings entitled “The Elusive Quest for Victory in War.” He lives in Arling ton, Virginia. G. Scott Thomas published two books in 2021.
“We have been speaking nearly every day for as long as I can remember,” Hollis said. Gallivan added, “Now we have to have a morning check-in because I want to see if Sam has had his coffee before I have.”
WHEN JIMMY GALLIVAN ’51 and Sam Hollis ’51 met in the fall of 1947 during rush week for Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the two could not possibly have predicted that 75 years later, they would still be chatting daily. Both earned a B.Sc. in commerce and were on the swimming and diving team. After living one floor apart in the freshman dormitory, the two roomed together in the fraternity house the following three years.
“I can’t remember a time when Jimmy wasn’t in our lives,” recalled Lee Hollis ’86. “We took family vacations together when we were children, and Jimmy and his wife Joan spent many summers in Highlands, North Carolina, where my parents had a home.” Sam Hollis Jr. ’83 agreed. “Jimmy connected with all of us, as he has with our father. I remember several occasions when we answered a knock on our door and there was Jimmy, who was in town and just stopped by to say hello,” he said. Both Hollis and Gallivan served in the Navy, stationed in different parts of the country. Gallivan spent most of his professional career in investment banking and brokerage services at J.C. Bradford & Co., retiring as partner. Hollis was chairman of the Federal Compress & Warehouse Co. and L.P. Brown Company until his retirement.
Dan Pinck ’48 served behind enemy lines in China with the OSS. 1990 Jeff Caggiano writes, “After 32 years in fieldpharma/biotechnologytheIwaselectedinNovemberasthe23rdmayoroftheCityof
▼ Robert B. Hatchett ’73 TIDEWATER SPIRIT ▼ G. Scott Thomas ’77 A BRAND NEW BALLGAME MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 31
“Operationdocumentaryaward-winning’sshortthatheproducedforTheOfficeofStrategicServicesSocietyaboutD-Day,Overlord:OSSandtheBattleforFrance,”wasshownatNATOSpecialOperationsHeadquartersinBrussels,Belgium,onMay6,2022,tomilitarypersonnelfromthe30nationsthatcompriseNATO.Hisfather,
&(Niawanda“Dreamtowns”Books)ratesthequalityoflifein2,084smalltownsacrossthenation,basedonhis24-partdemographicformula.“ABrandNewBallgame”(McFarlandCo.)tellsthestoryofbaseball’stransformationbetween1945and1962,includingtherelocationofsixmajorleague clubs, the addition of four expansion teams, the racial integration of rosters and the unioniza tion of players. 1979 Will Hill Tankersley Jr. has retired at the age of 65 from the private prac tice of law. He has been a lawyer for 35 years. Before practicing law, he was a soldier. Christopher Volk , of Paradise Valley, Arizona, published his first book, “The Value Equation.” 1985 Jay M. Wallace has been named to the 2021 Texas Super Lawyers list. He is an attorney with Bell Nunnally & Martin.
BFF BY AMANDA MINIX
1986 Charles Pinck
By any account, the past few years have been difficult. Yet our challenges have encouraged healthy conversations about our institutional identity, bold initiatives to develop new areas of strength, and a recommitment to cultivating an inclusive community invested in academic excellence. I hope the trials we have overcome to realize these impressive achievements make it impossible to take each other’s contributions for granted. Let us also remember that the identity of our extraordinary community is not comprised of a list of accomplishments, but a set of deeply held values that undergirds all we do.
W&L has an extraordinary ability to survive hardship, to attract the dedication of talented people and the generosity of donors, while remaining independent of church and state, and to emerge from travail stronger than ever. Nothing has influenced my life more deeply than the atmosphere of mutual trust I inhaled as a student and faculty member on this campus. The history of Washington and Lee is characterized by perseverance and dedication, but it is not characterized by sameness. Its future clearly will not be characterized by sameness.
White columns, worn steps, halls hallowed by time, and the strength embodied within them.
What we so value today came together over a period of several hundred years. Each generation built upon the past. What resulted was not only a collection of historic distin guished buildings; we also ended up with a symbol. This is who we are. When we think of our most deeply held values — academic excellence, collegiality, civility and, most of all, honor — all of them are embodied here in the Colonnade.
Beau, a history major, served as president of the EC, as president of the Alumni Association (1992–1993) and as a member of the Board of Trustees (1998–2006). He joined W&L’s Alumni Engagement Office in 2006, after a distinguished career as a business litigation partner with McGuire Woods in its Washington, D.C., area offices. He will continue working at W&L in a half-time capacity as senior advisor to the vice president for University Advancement, handling various alumni affairs-related duties.
Sharing a remembered and celebrated yesterday holds us together. We are held together no less by our long-standing commitment to the ideals of honor and civility. It does not matter whether your skin is white or you are a person of color, rich or poor, a domestic or foreign student. The only thing that matters at the deepest level of importance is respect for the personhood and the autonomy of each person in this community.
Respectfully,strengtheningsupportinguswilleloquentsityinfluentialsomeinspirationdiscoveredfromofourmostuniverleaders.IhopethattheirwordshelpmanyofrecommittoandW&L.let’snot
Professor Pamela Simpson (1973–2011)
Dean Frank Gilliam, Class of 1917 (1931–1962)
We are blessed at having connected ourselves to an insti tution that was here well before us and will live on beyond our time — an institution with the power to transform ordinary lives.
President John Elrod (1995–2005)
Alumni, colleagues and friends: While packing my office in Hotchkiss Alumni House I
President Ken Ruscio ’76 (2006–2016)
At Washington and Lee, our normal is extraordinary. We speak to each other, to guests, and to strangers. We trust each other to tell the truth, to do our own work, and to be respectful, decent and kind. We have staying power, but without stasis. We remain true to ourselves, but we evolve with the times, doing our best in every era to equip students to lead lives of consequence.
Provost Lena Hill, Provost (2021–present)
President Bob Huntley ’50, ’57L (1968–1993)
President John Wilson (1983–1995)
EXECUTIVE
BY BEAU DUDLEY ’74, ’79L DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS FORWARD
32 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Many of you think you are paying the university a compli ment when you say you don’t want one thing changed from the way it was when you were here. But if you had that institution unchanged, most of you would be ashamed of it. I am optimistic about Washington and Lee, and I glory in what it is now as I gloried in it when I first came here.
require that we love each and every thing about the univer sity for it to be worthy of our involvement. Let’s embrace our best memories and trust this generation to do what is best for W&L’s future. From my observations over the last 50 years — including insights gained from the last 16 working on campus — on balance, Washington and Lee is in very good shape and striving, as our motto implies, to be even better.
Washington and Lee is a distinctive place, but like Woods Creek within our midst, we are connected always to some thing much larger than ourselves, and to a past and a future beyond our present moment. Graduates of Washington and Lee should be critical and skeptical without being dismissive and cynical. They should not mistake tolerance and open mindedness for relativism. Servitude should give way to humility and a willingness to learn from others. A Washington and Lee education should convey this compel ling message: a strong community is one where we learn in common that which we cannot learn alone.
REFLECTING
President Will Dudley (2017–present)
Chris Cerone joined Novelis as vice president, public affairs and communications, after 17 years leading global government affairs for Zimmer Biomet. He also serves as the president of the Business Government Rela tions Council in Washington, D.C. He has enjoyed his time serving on The Williams School Board of Advisors, and he and his wife will soon be proud parents of two Washington and Lee students. 1994 Thomas Cryan has joined Ivins, Phillips & Barker as a partner in the firm’s benefits and compen sation practice.
Peter M. Iwancio ’01 and his wife, Elise, a daughter, Catherine Douglas, on March 1, 2021. She joins sister, Marlee Ann, at the family home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Meredith Bozell Westfahl ’03 and her husband, Jay, a daugh ter, Mary Dalton, on Nov. 4, 2021. They reside in San Anto nio, Texas.
Clayton Edwards ’07 and his wife, Emily, a son, Clayton Turner III, on May 14, 2021. He joins sisters Amelia and Lanier.
William P. Holliday ’08 and Meg Holliday ’09, a daughter, Elizabeth Anne, on Aug. 18, 2021. Her brothers, Henry, 5, and James, 3, are in love with their new sister. Jill Morris Bustamante ’09, ’12L and Travis Bustamante ’11L , a boy, Brooks Hamilton, on Oct. 25, 2021. Everyone is thrilled to have him join the family, espe cially his sisters Lucy and Laine.
Sarah Keckler Reynolds ’10 and her husband, Billy, a son, Nolan Earl, on Nov. 22, 2021. He joins brothers, William IV and Walter, and sister, Lillian. The family reside in Gardners, Pennsylva nia, and enjoy making and selling ice cream at their 1950s-era iconic ice cream/burger shop, as well as growing their beef farm.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 33
Bristol, Connecticut. It was a historic win, completely flipping the mayor’s office and all six City Council seats. This is the first and only time that the city of Bristol has been 100% repre sented by Republicans.”
▼
THE BOND KING ▼ Schereéya ’14 PRAYERS & PIXIES
1996 Matthew O. Young (’99L) was promoted to partner at Pryor Cashman in New York City. 2000 Catherine Carson Chambers joined the executive team at the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office in Tampa, Florida. 2005 Patrick M. Hastings published “The Guide to James Joyce’s Ulysses” (Johns Hopkins University Press). The book supports first-time readers and undergraduate students of Ulysses. Hastings’s interest in Joyce began when he first read “Ulysses” as an English major. He is the English Department chair at Gilman School in Baltimore, where he lives with his wife, Martha Allgood Hastings ’05, and their three sons, Pierce, Bradley and Renwick.
DREAMTOWNS ▼ Christopher Volk ’79 THE VALUE EQUATION ▼ Patrick M. Hastings ’05 THE GUIDE TO JAMES JOYCE’S ULYSSES ▼ Mary Childs ’08
BIRTHS Scott Morris ’99 and his wife, Lee, a daughter, Louise Eliza beth, on Sept. 9, 2021.
Sutton Ansley ’07 and Karen Blackburn ’06 , a daughter, Emerson Elizabeth, on Dec. 6, 2021. Their daughter Archer, 3, loves being a big sister. The family live in Washington, D.C., where Sutton is a partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges special izing in patent litigation. Karen is an OB/GYN and regularly sees patients in Bethesda, Maryland.
2006 Allan Galis , a partner with Hunt erMaclean’s litigation group, was named a 2022 Rising Star by Georgia SuperLawyers. 2007 David S. Mitchell Jr. was selected as Rose Law Firm’s new managing member. As one of the youngest managing members in the firm’s history, Mitchell will focus on advancing the firm’s growth strategy across practice groups and sectors of industry expertise. He lives and works in Little Rock, Arkansas. 2008 Mary Childs published “The Bond King,” a 300-page narrative about the rise and fall of Bill Gross, investing legend and co-founder of giant-asset-manager Pimco. She is co-host and correspondent for NPR’s “Planet Money” podcast. 2011 Matthew A. Locke was one of the winners of the inaugural William Stewart Boyd Scholar ship for freshman law students in Illinois. 2014 Schereéya (formerly Scheree Reed) released a new poetry collection, “Prayers & Pixies” (Redhawk Publications). 2016 Kevin Ortiz was promoted to deputy chief of staff to the pres ident and CEO at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. In his new role, he will serve as a strategic advisor to President Mary Daly as she leads the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, financial stability and payment system responsibilities. G. Scott Thomas ’77
1. Greer Johnson ’05 to Colby Uptegraft on Aug. 28, 2021, at Castle Hill Cider in Charlottesville. Alumni in attendance included (from l. to r.): John Reynolds ’68, Gene Elliott ’72L, Kathryn Temple Bickley ’05, Tim Vanderver ’65, Pegram Johnson ’66, Celia Landgren VanLenten ’05, Leah Greenberg Katz ’05, Ashley Trice ’05 and Paul LaRaia ’04. Not pictured: Morris Gertner ’02. Colby is a graduate of Davidson College and Vanderbilt University Medical School. He is a physician in the U.S. Air Force working at the Defense Health Agency. Greer is a realtor with Pearson Smith Realty. The Uptegrafts reside in Alexandria, Virginia.
2. Latham Conrad Peak II ’15 to Paige Stewart Gay ’15 on Dec. 4, 2021, at The Clifton in Charlottesville. The couple will reside in London. In attendance were Sue Drennen ’15, Charlotte Sisk ’15, Kaitlin DeLuca ’15, Lane Merlo ’15, Alex Garcia ’15, K.J. Lancaster ’15, Adelle Irwin ’15, Grace Haynes ’15, Elise Nelson ’15, Emily Saer ’15, Katharine Patton ’15, Sarah Morgan ’15, Bailey Kilgore ’15, Lucy Wade Shapiro ’15, Blair Tynes ’15, Stuart Lotz ’15, Curtiss Telfer ’15, Richard Nelson ’15, Robert DeLuca ’15, Paul Gerhardt ’79, Tucker Thompson ’15, Hayes Saer ’15, Wilson Hallett ’15, Preston Brown ’15 and Will McLendon ’15.
4. Will Dyson ’17 to Hollis Tardy ’17 on Aug. 8, 2020, in Dallas. The wedding party included Austin Barker ’17, Rhett Delk ’17, Bennet Habliston ’17, Jack Taylor ’17, Steven Yeung ’17, Caroline Holliday Bollman ’18, Alice Cannon ’17, Michelle Fleenor ’18, Sara Holland ’17 and Mary Silliman ’18.
5. Jenny Wang ’17 to Michael Brown on Oct. 30, 2021, at the Barn at High Point Farms in Chattanooga Valley, Georgia. The wedding was officiated by Rev. Angela Williams ’14, and alumni in attendance included Wilson Miller ’17, Flora Yu ’17, Erica Schiller ’16, Batsheva Honig ’17, Dana Lee ’17 and Diem Farr ’17.
3. Matthew R. Kinderman ’16 to Juliana Green on July 22, 2021, in Santa Barbara, California. Generals in attendance included (l. to r.): Mitchell Hamilton ’16, John Kirby ’16, Finn Barrett ’17, Nick Lico ’17, Wes Cutler ’17, Wheeler Reiss ’16, Zac Santangelo ’17, Alexander Rurka ’17, Alden Ewing ’18, Will Lyon ’17, Michael Lukas ’17, Asha Campbell ’17, Natalie Brendsel ’17, Laura Waggener ’17 and Todd Alan McDonald ’17. Not pictured: Joe Siami ’16.
1 2 3 4 5 6 34 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE WEDDINGS
6. Lillian Johnson MacDonald ’18 to Charles Rhett Baker ’17 on May 29, 2021, in Loudoun County, Virginia. The bride’s sisters, Charlotte MacDonald ’16 and Grace MacDonald ’23, served as bridesmaids. The groom’s brother Merritt Baker ’19 served as best man. Lilly graduated from SMU Dedman School of Law and is an attorney at Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston. Rhett earned his MPA at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and works in risk advisory at KPMG in Houston.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 35 ALUMNI NEWS
1. Alumni and their families came out to cheer Chris Dyson ’00 at the Trans Am race at Road Atlanta on March 27. Chris even won the race! Pictured l. to r.: Rice Robinson, John Robinson ’94 , Larry Connolly ’79, Chris Dyson, Wali Bacdayan ’92 , Will Robinson, Charlie Bacdayan, Cliff Holekamp ’96 , Ginny Holekamp, Megan Holekamp and Millie Holekamp.
2. Rebecca Bagdonas ’98 (left) and Mariel Pearl ’15 were honored at the Pi Beta Phi Founders’ Day event in New York City at Prive on April 23, 2022. Later, Rebecca (middle) joined Virginia Apple ’93 (left) and Mary van Pelt ’94 at the Central Park conservancy luncheon May 4, 2022.
6. From l. to r.: Conley Hurst ’17, Josh Fox ’19 and Ellen Wiencek ’15 all graduated from the University of Chicago Law School with academic honors.
4. Robert Wittpenn ’82 (left) and Charles Driscoll ’89 (far right) joined their daughters Sarah ’23 (second from left) and Betsy ’23 for a Delta Society Parents Weekend in early April.
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3. Dr. Nick Cromwell ’85 (left), attending physician at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York, and Dr. Chien-Yeu Chun ’12 , chief resident in obstetrics/gynecology, labor and delivery, at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo. They were delighted to discovery that they had both attended W&L.
5. Robert Cavaliere ’74 and his sister Joan laid a wreath at the memorial for the 379th Bomb Squadron of the Eighth Air Force. Their father, Paul G. Cavaliere ’48L, a B-17 navigator, was stationed with the 379th Bomb Squadron of the Eighth Air Force in Kimbolton, England, during World War II. The family recently donated his uniforms, medals, commendations, photographs, and navigational tools and charts to The Kimbolton School and were invited to attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies on Nov. 14, 2021.
Charles R. Crisp ’52 , of Moultrie, Georgia, died Feb. 18, 2022. He served in the Marine Corps and worked for the Bank of Commerce. He belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha.
Donald A. Malmo ’50, of Memphis, Tennessee, died Sept. 7, 2021. He served in the Navy. He worked for Alphatother-in-lawInc.Duncan-WilliamsandwasgrandfatoElizabethMalmo’10anduncleGerryMalmoIII’79.HebelongedtoSigmaEpsilon.
36 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE OBITS
Charles F. Fox ’48 , of Oviedo, Florida, died Jan. 8, 2021. He served in the Army. He retired from Hanover College in 1989 as the chair of the English Department. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta. Col. James Hitz ’49, of Abingdon, Virginia, died Dec. 9, 2021. He served in the Marine Corps for 22 years. He belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon. 1950s Dr. William Bennett ’50, of Columbia, South Carolina, died March 1, 2022. He served in the Air Force as a chief medi cal officer and received the USAF Commendation Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Service and Outstanding Unit ribbon for the 837 TAC Hospital. He belonged to Beta Theta Pi.
Clifford C. Thomas Jr. ’50, of Columbia, South Carolina, died Sept. 23, 2021. He served in the Navy and then worked on Wall Street. He belonged to Sigma Nu. John L. Bowles ’51 , of Chevy Chase, Maryland, died Oct. 9, 2021. He served in the Army and was chief investment officer of First Virginia Bank. He belonged to Beta Theta Pi. Franklin T. Buell II ’51 , of Dallas, died Sept. 18, 2019. He was a helicop ter pilot in the Navy during the Korean War. He owned and operated Buell Door Co.
Dr. William A. McCown ’50, of Lexington, died Nov. 28, 2021. He served in the Navy during World War II and owned an optometry practice.
Michael H. Laupheimer ’53 , of Boca Raton, Florida, died Jan. 4, 2019. He worked for Insurances Services Group Inc. and was brother to Alvin N. Laupheimer ’50. He belonged to Phi Epsilon Pi. Leonard B. Ranson Jr. ’53 , of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died March 3, 2022. He was a pastor for the United Methodist Church.
Spencer T. Snedecor Jr. ’53 , of Buford, Georgia, died April 16, 2022. He served in the Naval Reserves and spent his career with the Yellow Pages. He belonged to Delta Tau Delta.
Richard T. Brown ’50, of Rockingham, Virginia, died Sept. 12, 2021. He served in the Marine Corps. He owned Brown’s ParkviewPharmacy,Pharmacy and Harrisonburg Pharmacy. He belonged to Delta Tau Delta.
John M. Blume ’54 , ’56L, of Sarasota, Florida, died Sept. 20, 2020. He built his own practice, Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari. He belonged to Zeta Beta Tau.
Joseph L. Lanier Jr. ’54 , of West Point, Georgia, died Aug. 11, 2021. He served in the Army. He started his career with WestPoint Pepperell and became chair and CEO of Dan River. He was uncle to Tom Pearce Jr. ’85 and great-uncle to Laney Smith ’20. He belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
David W. Foerster ’45 , ’51L , of 2021.Florida,Jacksonville,diedNov.20,HeservedintheNavy.Hepracticedlaw in Jacksonville, throughout Florida and the Southeast for more than 60 years. He was grandfather to Bose Bratton ’07 and Mac Lyerly ’22. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta. Wilbur Walker Jr. ’45 , of Sarasota, Florida, died Feb. 1, 2019. He worked for the National Fire Insurance Co., retiring as vice president.
Charles S. Hoffman ’52 , of Saint Simons Island, Georgia, died Feb. 3, 2022. He served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War and then worked for Union Carbide Corp. He belonged to Phi Kappa Psi. Dudley A. White Jr. ’52 , of Jackson, Wyoming, died July 17, 2021. He grew his family’s company from two newspapers to more than 17 newspapers and radio stations. He belonged to Sigma Chi. Henry I. Willett Jr. ’52 , of Henrico, Virginia, died Nov. 11, 2021. He served in the Army and was former president of Longwood University. He belonged to Sigma Nu. Wesley E. Abrams ’53 , of Rockville, Maryland, died Sept. 20, 2021. He was a driver’s education teacher and football coach. He belonged to Sigma Nu. Leo Barrington ’53 , of Falmouth, Maine, died Aug. 31, 2021. He belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha. William R. Glattly ’53 , of Rockville, Maryland, died Jan. 31, 2022. He served in the Army as an occupational therapist at Walter Reed Army Hospital, was an interior designer for Alan Cox & Associates and owned his own design practice.
Edward K. Shelmerdine IV ’50, of Advance, North Carolina, died Dec. 5, 2021. He co-founded the men’s soccer program at W&L and served in the Army and the Merchant Marines. He belonged to Phi Kappa Psi.
Richard E. Hodges ’50, of Marietta, Georgia, died Jan. 29, 2022. He was the chair and CEO of Liller Neal and Battle. He belonged to Kappa Alpha. J. Albert Hoeser ’50, of Roanoke, died Sept. 3, 2021. He served in the Coast Guard. He worked in the national security arm of the govern ment until his retire ment in 1993.
1940s Charles GreshamPhilip’43 , of San Marino, California, died June 8, 2019.
Eric G. Curry Jr. ’51 , of Townson, Maryland, died March 28, 2022. He belonged to Sigma Nu. Elridge C. Hubert ’51 , of Oakland, California, died Nov. 28, 2020. He served in the 79th Infantry Regiment for the Normandy Invasion of France during World War II and received the Purple Heart. He later served in the 810th Signal Corps in Paris. He had a career in banking. Richard Schornstein Jr. ’51 died Oct. 3, 2021. He belonged to Zeta Beta Tau.
Warren T. Braham ’54 , of Ashburn, Virginia, died Nov. 22, 2021. He was president of First American Bank in Leesburg, Virginia. He belonged to Sigma Chi.
William R. Winder Jr. ’46 , of Sarasota, Florida, died Aug. 20, 2020. He belonged to Kappa Sigma. Anderson B. Motley Jr. ’47, of Danville, Virginia, died May 5, 2019. He was a veteran of World War II and owned Motley’s Pharmacy.
Walter Whitley Diggs ’54 , of Harwich, Massachusetts, died March 17, 2022. He had a career in hospi tal administration and belonged to Phi Kappa Psi.
Curtis C. Humphris Jr. ’50, of Daleville, Virginia, died Sept. 24, 2021. He served in the Navy and worked for Chevron USA.
Herwig R. Brandstetter ’54 , of Graz, Austria, died Oct. 8, 2021. He was the former head of the presidial department of the Chamber of Commerce of Styria in Graz.
The Rev. Canon J. Fletcher Lowe Jr. ’54 , of Richmond, died August 25, 2021. He was father to John Lowe III ’83 and belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon. The Rev. Warren L. Moody Jr. ’54 , of Fort Worth, Texas, died Sept. 27, 2021. He retired from the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. He belonged to Phi Kappa Sigma.
The Rev. Joseph Henry J. Vernon ’56 , of Lynchburg, Virginia, died March 5, 2019. He served as a pastor in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
attended W&L before starting active military service during World War II. He fought in the European Theatre and was assigned to the 610th Tank Destroyer Battalion under Gen. George Patton, where he served in five European campaigns and attained the rank of major. He received a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars. Following his military career, Duchossois built a thriving career in business, turning Thrall Car Manufacturing into the second-largest builder of rail freight cars. He founded The Duchossois Group, an organization with holdings primarily in the manufacturing and investment sectors. In the 1960s, Duchossois developed an affinity for horse racing and went on to become a significant figure in the sport. He helped form the Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association and purchased an ownership stake in the Arlington Park racetrack. He later bought stake in Churchill Downs, bringing Arlington under the famed track’s auspices.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 37
John S. Meloy ’56 , of Perrysburg, Ohio, died Feb. 10, 2022. He served in the Army and was a sportswriter for the Washington Star.
At the 1995 ceremony where his name was added to W&L’s Benefactors Wall, Duchossois said: “I can only say how proud I am to have some small affiliation with Washington and Lee, which I feel is one of the finest educational institutions in theDuchossoiscountry.”
Duchossois was a generous supporter of W&L, providing the funds to build the Duchossois Tennis Center in 1997. He also funded the renovations of Wilson Field in 2008 and the former Warner Center and Doremus Gymnasium in 2020, now called The Richard L. Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center. His other philanthropic gifts include support of the Annual Fund and the Tyler R. and Danielle G. Lenczuk Scholarship, a wedding gift to his grandson Tyler ’08.
Dr. James D. Deacon ’55 , of AnesthesiaAirVirginia,Waynesboro,diedMay19,2021.HeservedintheForce.HewasananesthesiologistforAssociates of Augusta and Waynesboro Community Hospital. He was father to Kip Deacon ’85. Dr. James C. Repass ’55 , of Franklinton, North Carolina, died Nov. 30, 2021. He specialized in child psychiatry and ADHD. He belonged to Sigma Nu. Corbin Woodward Jr. ’55 , of Gig Harbor, Washington, died May 8, 2021. He served in the Navy. C. Philip Cristal ’56 , of Beachwood, Ohio, died Oct. 3, 2020. He was a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch. He belonged to Zeta Beta Tau.
President Will Dudley. “His leadership, humility, dedication and generosity are an inspiration to all those who knew him. Through his magnificent gifts to the university, he helped build athletic facilities that enrich our entire community, and where our student-athletes flourish. I am grateful to have known him, and I extend my sincere condolences to his wife Judi and his family.”
John G. Firebaugh Sr. ’57, of Chester, Virginia, died Nov. 23, 2021. He was systems analyst for the Life of Virginia. Richard Charles Gower ’57 of Vero Beach, Florida, died Jan. 4, 2022. He served in the Navy. He owned White Fuel Co. and belonged to Phi Delta Theta Jerome Hill IV ’57, of Austin, Texas, died Jan. 20, 2022. He belonged to Kappa Sigma. Gilbert Russell Ladd III ’57, of Mobile, Alabama, died Feb. 16, 2022. He
Thomas B. Neblett Jr. ’56 , of Irvington, Virginia, died Nov. 11, 2021. He served in the Army, worked in computer sales and owned a bed and breakfast. He belonged to Phi Gamma Delta.
Sedgwick L. Moss ’54 , of Arlington, Virginia, died Oct. 22, 2021. He was a travel agent with American Airlines, Overseas, Gant and VIP Travel Agencies. He belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha.
Kingswood Sprott Jr. ’56 , ’58L , of Lakeland, Florida, died Oct. 1, 2021. He belonged to Sigma Nu.
Robert G. Gooch ’56 , of Washington, D.C., died Sept. 23, 2020. He served for two years as an officer in the Army and worked for Baker & Botts of Houston, Texas. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta.
Sumner Waite Jr. ’54 , of Atlanta, died on March 8, 2022. He served in the Air Force and worked in life insurance. He belonged to Sigma Chi.
John G. Dickenson ’57, of Danville, Virginia, died Nov. 10, 2021. He served in the Army and then ran his family’s insurance business. He was uncle to Tom Dickenson ’86L and belonged to Phi Kappa Sigma.
Lloyd A. Dobyns Jr. ’57, of Garner, North Carolina, died Aug. 22, 2021. He belonged to Kappa Sigma.
RICHARD L. DUCHOSSOIS ’44, BENEFACTOR Richard Louis Duchossois ’44, founder and chair man emeritus of The Duchossois Group, horse racing icon and generous benefactor of W&L, died Jan. 28, 2022. “Dick was a decorated veteran and achievementextraordinarybusinessmanaccomplishedwhoseservicetohiscountryandpersonalsetastandardtowhichweshouldallaspire,”said
Duchossois received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Washington and Lee in 1991. In 2015, his alma mater bestowed upon him the Washington Award, its highest honor. In 2020, he was inducted into W&L’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Duchossois is survived by his wife, Mary Judith; son Craig; daughters Dayle and Kimberly P’08, who served on W&L’s Board of Trustees and its Parents Council; stepsons Steve and Paul Marchi; seven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Dr. Jordan M. Smith ’57, ’60L , of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, died March 21, 2021. He belonged to Phi Gamma Delta.
Dr. David M. Baker ’59, of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, died August 2021. He worked for Park Central Hospital and then Emergency Physicians Affiliates. He belonged to Kappa Sigma. James M. Bryant II ’59, of Little Rock, Arkansas, died Jan. 14, 2022. He was an attorney with Bryant, Owen & Hopkins. He belonged to Pi Kappa Phi. Ledford H. Day Jr. ’59, of Ashburn, Virginia, died April 4, 2019. He was a research techni cian at Union Carbide. He belonged to Pi Kappa Phi. Robert G. Jacob ’59, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, died March 20, 2022. He served as a first lieutenant in the Army and was an executive at IBM. He belonged to Phi Kappa Sigma. L. Geoffrey Lawrence ’59, of Cottonwood, Arizona, died June 30, 2021. He worked for General Dynamics Armament Systems and Simmonds Precision. He belonged to Delta Upsilon. Col. William E. Wright ’59, of Adkins, Texas, died April 1, 2022. He served in the Marine Corps for 28 years. He belonged to Sigma Chi. 1960s Capt. Fletcher James Barnes III ’60, of Norfolk, Virginia, died Dec. 20, 2021. He served in the Navy for over 30 years and received four Legions of Merit and a Bronze Star with Combat Distinction device (V) for his service in Vietnam. He belonged to Sigma Chi. Frank C. Bozeman Jr. ’60L , of Pensacola, Florida, died Jan. 11, 2022. He was a veteran of the Air Force and a shareholder at three area law firms: Harrell, Wilshire, Bozeman, Clark and Stone; Carlton, Fields, Ward, Emmanuel, Smith and Culter; and Bozeman Jenkins and Matthews.
Harry L. Pressley Jr. ’58 , of Decatur, Georgia, died Feb. 17, 2022. He belonged to Phi Gamma Delta.
Charles M. Swezey ’57, of Mechanicsville, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2022. He was the Annie Scales Rogers Professor of Christian Theology and Ethics Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary. He belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha.
Richard R. Duncan ’58L , of Winchester, Virginia, died Oct. 16, 2020. He taught at Ohio State, the University of Richmond and University.Georgetown Wesley L. Keith ’58 , of Apex, North Carolina, died Nov. 12, 2021.
served in the Army and devoted much of his life to preserving the Mobile River Delta. He belonged to Beta Theta Pi. Dr. Bernard J. Schaaf ’57, of Daly City, California, died April 29, 2021. He served as a lieutenant in the Navy’s medical corps, practiced urology in Brawley and was a member of the surgi cal staff of Pioneers Memorial Hospital and El Centro Regional Medical Center.
Charles R. Spencer Jr. ’58 , of Newport News, Virginia, died Jan. 2, 2022. He began his career with Mason & Co., now Morgan Stanley. He belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha. Kingsley Wood ’58 , of Tucson, Arizona, died Oct. 15, 2021. He was a retired newspaper columnist, editor and award-win ning reporter. He was grandfather to Kyle Wood ’22 and belonged to Phi Kappa Psi.
In 1970, Holton was elected the first Republican governor in Virginia since Reconstruction. At his inauguration he proclaimed, “Let our goal in Virginia be an aristocracy of ability, regardless of race, color or Duringcreed.”histenure, he supported the deseg regation of the commonwealth’s public schools, modernized the management of the Port of Hampton Roads and sought improvements in mental health services. After leaving office in 1974, Holton served as assistant secretary of state for congressional relations in the Nixon administration before joining the law firm Hogan & Hartson in Washington, D.C., and Richmond. In 1973, Holton established the Governor’s School program in Virginia, which provides aca demically and artistically challenging programs to gifted students. He has received honorary degrees from Virginia State College, W&L, College of William and Mary, Virginia Union University and St. Paul’s College of Virginia. Holton chaired the Alumni Fund and the Roanoke Alumni chapter. In addition to financially supporting several scholarships at W&L, he also endowed the Louisa Holton Morris Scholarship in honor of his late sister. He was a member of the Commission of the 250th Observance and served on the Shoulders of Giants Campaign’s Parents Committee. He was inducted into ODK in 1966 and received an honorary Order of the Coif in 1996. His wife, Virginia, “Jinks,” was a W&L trustee from 198595. His daughter, the Hon. Anne Holton, received an honorary degree from W&L in 2015. Read the full obit at go.wlu.edu/Holton-obit.
38 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
The Hon. Abner Linwood Holton Jr. ’44, former governor of Virginia, died Oct. 28, 2021. “We have lost a highly regarded public servant,” said President Will Dudley. “Gov. Holton represented the best traditions of service to Virginia and the nation, as well as his alma mater. He was committed to racial equity in education and employment and demonstrated the highest standards of bipartisanship.” Holton interrupted his studies at W&L to join the Navy during World War II as a submarine officer. After the war, he returned to W&L, graduating with a B.A. in commerce. He earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1949 and joined a small firm in Roanoke.
THE HON. A. LINWOOD HOLTON JR. ’44, FORMER GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA
Richard H. Leep ’58 , of Verona, Wisconsin, died in 2019. He belonged to Phi Kappa Psi.
John W. Sinwell ’57, of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, died Sept. 25, 2021. He was a sales manager at IBM Corp. He was stepfa ther Caldwell Hart ’91 and belonged to Phi Kappa Psi.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 39
Lamont’s consulting clients included retailers, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations and manufacturers, with whom he consulted on market analysis, planning and research, as well as product evaluation, sales forecasting and advertising. He also served as a consultant and expert witness to attorneys and law offices in the areas of economic appraisal, price distribution, antitrust, contracts and marketing.
William M. Gibson ’60, of Annapolis, Maryland, died Feb. 28, 2022. He served in the Navy as a lieutenant on the U.S.S. Allen M. Sumner destroyer. He was vice president and principal of Howard Phillips Co. and belonged to Sigma Nu. Charles C. Sherrill ’60, of Pensacola, Florida, died Oct. 28, 2021. He served in the Army and ran a private law practice. He was father to Charlie Sherrill Jr. ’84, Phil Sherrill ’90 and Richard Sherrill ’94; grandfather to Mimi Sherrill ’23; and father-in-law to Lisee Goodykoontz Sherrill ’94. He belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
William H. Snyder ’61 , of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died Sept. 13, 2021. He was an executive at the Ford Motor Co. and later founded Complete Mobility Systems. He belonged to Kappa Alpha.
Thomas W. Wieting ’60, of Portland, Oregon, died July 19, 2021. He was a math professor at Reed College. Lt. Col. Clinton L. Anderson ’61 , of Alexandria, Virginia, died Jan. 11, 2022. He served in the Army during Vietnam as a field artillery officer and an education officer and received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal and the ofwithCommendationArmyMedalOakLeafClusters.HewasalecturerofmilitaryhistoryatStanfordUniversityandworkedfortheAmericanAssociationStateCollegesandUniversitiesonmili-tary-relatedprograms.HebelongedtoSigmaPhiEpsilon.
In 1988, the Commerce School faculty launched the Summer Institute for Family Business. Lamont played a key role in the curriculum development, and his contributions were essential to the ongoing success for future Family Business Programs for several more summers.
Awarded a Fulbright grant in 1997-98, Lamont traveled to Sweden to teach and conduct research at the Jonkoping International Business School, Jonkoping University.
Arthur Glenn Andrews Jr. ’62 , of Anniston, Alabama, died Feb. 26, 2022. He served in the Air Force and worked for Andrews Advertising before devoting his time to training horses and dogs and supporting his community.
LAWRENCE “LARRY” M. LAMONT, PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION EMERITUS
Lamont is survived by his wife, Anne Schroer-Lamont, former associate dean of students at W&L, and children, Melissa Lynne Lamont-Gordon and Laurie Leigh Lamont.
Lawrence M. Lamont, professor of University2022.administration,businessdiedMarch31,Hewas83.HeearnedthreeacademicdegreesattheofMichigan.Hereceivedabachelorofscienceinchemicalengineering,followedbyamaster’sdegreeinbusinessadministrationandadoctoraldegreeinmarketingandbusinessadministration.
Before joining W&L in 1974, he taught at the Institute of Science and Technology at the University of Michigan and the University of Colorado. He retired from W&L in 1999. At W&L, he taught courses in marketing principles, man agement and research; advertising; statistical decision theory; and business strategy and policy. His research interests included the use of outside directors, succession planning and strategic planning in family businesses, as well as investigat ing consumer values and behavior, the legal environment of marketing and the personal selling styles of industrial sales people. He published numerous articles, research papers and case studies on marketing and management in peer-reviewed journals and authored “Technology Transfer, Innovation and Marketing in Science-Oriented Spin-off Firms.”
John B. Boatner ’61 , of Memphis, Tennessee, died August 10, 2020. He was an instructor at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and a professor at Sewanee in Tennessee. He belonged to Sigma Nu. Calvert G. de Coligny Jr. ’61 , of Roanoke, died Oct. 26, 2021. He served in the Army. He worked for ServiceMaster Co., Coalarbed International Trading and Calvert Consulting Services. He belonged to Beta Theta Pi. Edward J. Dinkel III ’61 , ’64L , of Lexington, died Feb. 6, 2022. He was an attorney with Alley, Rock & Dinkel. He belonged to Beta Theta Pi Anthony O. Friedman ’61 , of VirginiaFeb.Massachusetts,Edgartown,died10,2022.HeservedintheArmy,theWestAirNationalGuardandtheAirForce.HeownedFatTony’srestaurantandlater Cosmic Cab. He belonged to Sigma Chi. Robert J. Funkhouser Jr. ’61 , of Sunapee, New Hampshire, died Feb. 7, 2022. After a stint as a schoolteacher, he held positions of Accessories.ofwhichresponsibilityincreasinginthebeverageequipmentindustrybeforestartinghisownbusiness,becameonePepsiCo’slargestsuppliersofFountainBeverageEquipmentandHebelongedtoKappaAlpha.
David B. Parrish ’61 , of Huntsville, Alabama, died Dec. 15, 2021. He was an illustrator for various aerospace companies and exhibited his paintings in group and solo exhibitions both in the U.S. and abroad.
A. Douglas Salmon III ’61 , of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died Feb. 18, 2022. He served in the Air Force as a weapons controller. He founded his own firm, Doug Salmon Inc., and belonged to Kappa Sigma.
William M. McKim Jr. ’62 , of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, died April 4, 2022. He was a profes sor of Shakespeare and Elizabethan literature at Northern Kentucky University. The Rev. Charles A. Smith ’62 , of Cheshire, Connecticut, died Jan. 20, 2022. He was an Army Ranger during the Vietnam war, retiring from the reserves as a captain. He taught English for Western Illinois University and belonged to Beta Theta Pi.
Daniel Blain Jr. ’62 , of Chester and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, died Sept. 13, 2020. He belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha.
William T. King Jr. ’62L , of Sarasota, Florida, died Aug. 22, 2021. He served in the Marine Corps and practiced law at Smith, King and Murphy in Warsaw, Virginia. He later served as the attorneycommonwealth’sforRichmondCounty,Virginia.
John H. Vogler ’63 , of Winnetka, California, died Feb. 24, 2021. James P. Cassidy ’64 , of Marks, Mississippi, died Nov. 7, 2021. He served in the Navy. He was pres ident of Self & Company Gins Inc. and belonged to Phi Delta Theta.
Richard W. McEnally ’64 , of New Bern, North Carolina, died Sept. 12, 2021. He was on the faculty of the School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin and the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel
Charles M. Conway Jr. ’62 , ’64L , of Fernandina Beach, Florida, died Sept. 18, 2021. He served in the Marine Corps. He began his career at Aetna Steel Co. of Jacksonville and then bought, operated and sold several enter prises. He was father to Charlie Conway III ’87 and belonged to Phi Delta Theta.
David K. Fraser ’62 , of Woodstock, Vermont, died Dec. 4, 2021. He served in the Air Force and had his own company, Fraser Textiles Inc. He was father to Katharine Fraser ’93. He belonged to Delta Upsilon. The Rev. L. Douglas Hill ’62 , of Richmond, died Sept. 26, 2021. He served in the United Methodist Church for 42 years a pastor and district super intendent. He belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Hill, where he retired in 2001 as the Meade Willis Professor of Investment Banking. He belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha. The Hon. Samuel J. Smith ’64L , of Mission Viejo, California, died Jan. 16, 2022. He served as a U.S. administrative law judge with the Social Security AlphaAlumnusadministration.administrativeCommissionInterstateAdministration,CommerceandtheU.S.DepartmentofLabor.HewasalsothechiefappealsjudgeoftheBenefitsReviewBoardduringPresidentJimmyCarter’sAtW&L,hehelpedestablishtheBlackLungClinicatW&LLawandreceivedW&L’s2009OutstandingAwardforexceptionalcontributionstothelegalprofession.HebelongedtoSigmaEpsilon.
George T. Harrell III ’63 , of Durham, North Carolina, died Oct. 7, 2019. He served in the Army and worked in newspaper management.advertising Thomas N. Rains ’63 , of Birmingham, Alabama, died March 24, 2022. He served in the Army as a first lieutenant in Vietnam. He worked in banking and real estate before becoming ordained as a minister. He belonged to Kappa Alpha. G. McNeir Tilman ’63 , of Charlottesville, died Feb. 21, 2022. He served in the Army Reserves for 30 years, retiring as a colo nel. He began his banking career with Jefferson National Bank and retired from Wachovia Bank. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta.
George M. Fisher ’65 , ’68L , of Camden Wyoming, Delaware, died Jan. 17, 2021. He spent three years in Army intelli gence during the Vietnam War. He worked for Delaware Trust, retiring as senior vice president. He belonged to Phi Gamma Delta. J. William F. Holliday ’65 , of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, died Dec. 27, 2021. He was appointed to the South Carolina Agricultural Commission by Gov. Carroll Campbell in 1989. He represented Horry and Georgetown counties until 1999 and helped establish the toughest legislation on factory farming in the nation, protecting the ecosystem for the future of the state. In 2019, he was recognized by the Conservation Voters of South Carolina with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta. William D. Andrews ’66 , of Abingdon, Virginia, died Jan. 5, 2022. He worked for the Western District of Federal Office in Abingdon. He belonged to Delta Tau Delta. Harry G. Goodheart III ’66 , of Tryon, North Carolina, died Oct. 29, 2021. He was a trial lawyer in Bradenton, Florida, and an active member of the Florida Bar, serving two terms on the board of governors. He belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Jeffrey G. Haverson ’66L , of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died September 29, 2019.
John O. Culley ’63 , ’67L , of Grand Detour, Illinois, died March 29, 2022. He worked in the insurance industry. He is father to Anne C. Wise ’91. He belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon.
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY STORE VIEW OUR ONLINE CATALOGUE AT GO.WLU.EDU/STORE CONTACT US AT 540-458-8634 CELEBRATING A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER All revenues from the University Store support W&L FOLLOW US @WLUSTORE A. B. A. Trident HammockKoozie® $48 00 B. YETI Roadie $299.99 C. Nike DriFit Tech Hat $26 . 00 C. 40 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Robert E. Eikel ’62 , of La Jolla, California, died Sept. 15, 2021. He served in the Army. He built residential developments through out San Diego County and belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha.
John A.B. Palmer ’66 , of Greenville, South Carolina, died Jan. 8, 2022. He served in the Navy and worked with
In 2000, Alfred Harrison, an exchange student during Gunn’s first year at W&L, established The John M. Gunn International Scholarship that brings international students of exceptional academic, personal and professional promise to W&L to study for one year. In addition to the international scholarship, Gunn has inspired several other significant gifts. An endowment that supports an economics award in his name was established by former students shortly after his retirement, and another supports new course development, curriculum innovation and faculty professional development in the Williams School. A member of the Class of 1969 estab lished the John M. Gunn Endowment for Student Learning andOfEngagement.personalimportance to Gunn was his advocacy of better mental health care and research. His son John took his own life after suffering for many years with schizophrenia, leading Gunn to establish the Rockbridge Chapter of the Alliance for the Mentally Ill. He went on to serve on the board of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and testified before the House Committee on Ways and Means about an appropria tions bill for the National Institute of Mental Health.
PROFESSOR JOHN M. GUNN ’45 John McKenzie Gunn Jr. ’45, the Lewis Whitaker Adams Professor of Economics Emeritus, died Oct. 16, 2021.
Al Broaddus ’61, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, noted: “John had an immense impact on my life and career, and he had a similar effect on the lives of countless other W&L students he taught during his long and distinguished career. What began as student-teacher relationships in Newcomb Hall typically evolved to mento ring relationships as his students began their careers and progressed in them, and finally settled into warm, mature personal friendships as they grew older. His passing is a tremendous loss to W&L and to all of us who have continued to admire and learn from him.”
Read the full bio at go.wlu.edu/gunn-obit.
A year before he retired, Gunn wrote about whom he’d like to meet after his death. “First, as I walk through the pearly gates (I hope that does not make an unwarranted assumption) I would like Mozart himself to be playing one of the great piano concerti, with a heavenly orchestra — I don’t expect to have much conversation with him, but I would like just the opportunity to say, ‘Thank you,’ while Karl Marx is rushing up to me, calling, ‘John, where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you. Let’s talk.’ Then, as soon as I talk him out of that rigidly deterministic view of human nature, we could have some really good conversation.”
Gunn completed his education at Georgia Institute of Technology, earning his B.S. in physics in 1949. He briefly worked as a metallurgist for the U.S. Steel Corp. and then studied economics at the University of North Carolina but transferred to Princeton and earned his M.A. in eco nomics in 1954. He joined the W&L faculty in 1957 was named the Lewis Whitaker Adams Professor of Economics in 1993. He taught international monetary economics and trade, economics and the environment, history of economic thought, human population problems, and the capstone seminar for senior economics majors. He authored two surveys on international finance; published a monograph, “The United States Balance of Payments in 1967”; gave yearly lectures on the state of the U.S.’s balance of payments; and nurtured a working relationship between W&L and the Federal Reserve Bank of GunnRichmond.retired in 1994, and over his 37-year career at W&L he earned a reputation as a demanding teacher who delighted in mentoring his students and helping them find a job or apply to graduate school. He said, “What I am is an assistant in learning and in the whole development of young people.”
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 41
Born in Pensacola, Florida, on Jan. 16, 1924, Gunn grew up in Georgia and studied at W&L from 1941 to 1942 before enlisting in the Army. While a student, he belonged to the Sigma Chi social fraternity and the honorary societies Beta Gamma Sigma (business) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (eco nomics). He also participated on the forensic team. He served for three years in World War II, in the European Theater, as a corporal with the 84th Infantry Division. In September 1944, the 84th went ashore at Utah Beach, Normandy, and moved on to occupy the extreme left flank of the Allied Forces’ main front. Later, the 84th played a key role in the Battle of the Bulge, helping to repulse the point of the German offensive. He told the Alumni Magazine in 1993, “I lost 17 classmates in the war. I never go by the War Memorial Gate (the entrance to the University Chapel parking lot) without thinking about them and what we lost.”
“John Gunn had a deep love for this institution, its students, and its alumni,” said President Will Dudley. “Over the years he established a rapport in and out of the classroom with legions of them, and he nurtured those relationships, both personally and profession ally, long after they had graduated. Although John’s academic specialty was economics, he was a mentor to students and faculty alike on the university’s Honor System, its core values, its people, and its traditions. We shall be forever grateful to him for his many contributions to the W&L community, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family.”
Springs Global, retiring as senior vice president of finance. He belonged to Sigma Chi.
Howard K. Tayloe Jr. ’68 , of Memphis, Tennessee, died Feb. 2, 2022. He served in the Navy as an intelligence officer in Keflavik, Iceland, and later founded The Tayloe Co., a real estate devel opment business. He belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon . Ronald L. Williams ’68 , of Flemington, New Jersey, died March 19, 2021. His career in finance included R.C.A., Sperry Univac, Sperry and Unisys. He was father to Ron Williams Jr. ’00 and belonged to Delta Upsilon. H. Allen Cohn ’69, of Memphis, Tennessee, died March 15, 2019. He worked at the Memphis Cap Co. and A.T. Distributors.
John T. Whetstone III ’69, of Chesapeake, Virginia, died Oct. 1, 2021. After working for two Fortune 500 companies, he attended seminary and developed and taught new courses and programs at several American universities. He belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha. 1970s Harley W. Duane III ’70L , of Richmond, died Aug. 23, 2021. He practiced law with Duane, Hauck, Davis, Gravatt, and BOB DE MARIA, PROFESSOR OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS EMERITUS
De Maria also was a prolific media producer. His films included “New Orleans: A Place Nobody Knows” about volunteers who helped in the clean-up following Hurricane Katrina; “Lee: Beyond the Battles”; films about Rockbridge County and Lexington; and video productions about W&L’s Mock Convention, Honor System and architecture. He also was heavily involved in his community, serving on the board of directors of Lime Kiln, as president of the Lexington-Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce, and in multiple capacities with his church, Grace Episcopal. His work at W&L and in the community resulted in many honors and awards, including W&L’s W.W. Pusey Award and recognition for Best Documentary from the National Cable Television Association.
Robert H. Gray Jr. ’67L , of Lynchburg, Virginia, died Oct. 18, 2021. He served as a military policeman and was deployed in support of the Federal protection program for James Meredith, the first black student admitted to University of Mississippi. As an attorney, he practiced throughout central Virginia, primar ily in Appomattox, and devoted extensive hours on pro bono work for the underrepresented.
David C. Oliver ’69L , of West Orange, New Jersey, died Oct. 10, 2021. He was an attorney for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. He belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha.
De Maria is survived by his wife, Lynda; daughter Sarah Mayo; stepson Aaron Renfro; and six grandchildren.
Robert J. “Bob” de Maria, professor of journalism and mass communica tions emeritus, died April 20, 2022. He was 79. Affectionately known by legions of friends, colleagues and students as “de,” he was a beloved member of the W&L faculty for 36 years. In addition to teaching courses in filmmaking,documentarybroadcastjournalism,radio management and other topics, he served as a longtime faculty advisor for the university radio station, WLUR; faculty general manager of the university’s television production facility and public access channel; and instructor of programs such as Summer Scholars and Alumni College. De Maria earn a bachelor’s degree in literature from St. John Fisher College and a master’s in public communication from The Newhouse School at Syracuse University. During the 1970s, he spent several years working in television and radio, including stints at General Electric Cablevision in Biloxi, Mississippi; WHOC in Philadelphia, Mississippi; and WCBI-TV in Columbus, Mississippi. He also was an adjunct professor at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, and a tribal documentarian and communications consultant for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
42 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Sterling R. Bolling Jr. ’68 , of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, died Jan. 8, 2022. He served in the Air Force as a translator, completed two tours in Vietnam and received the Air Medal with First and Second Oak Leaf Clusters. He was president of the RW Bolling Co. He belonged to Pi Kappa Phi. Ellis M. Johnston II ’68 , of Greenville, South Carolina, died Jan. 14, 2022. He served in the Army for four years and joined the law firm Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta.
Read the full obit at go.wlu.edu/deMaria-obit.
In 1974, de Maria became an instructor of communications media and director of the Media Center at the Mississippi University for Women. He and his family moved to Lexington in 1977 to join the Journalism Department. In that capacity, he inspired students and faculty as an engaging educator, caring adviser and supportive colleague. “For his students, advisees and colleagues, he was the listening ear and the compassionate friend,” said Dayo Abah, professor of journalism and head of the Journalism and Mass Communications Department. “Many students gave him credit for helping them graduate from our program because he was comfortable with bearing both good and bad news, and they lis tened to him in a way that they might not have listened to others because they trusted him. As a colleague, he was supportive and friendly, always willing to help out in any way he could.”
Duke W. Stevens ’75 , of San Antonio, Texas, died Oct. 27, 2021. He worked in commercial real estate business. He belonged to Phi Kappa Sigma. The Rev. Patrick J. White ’76 , of Richmond, died Jan. 19, 2022. He served in the Navy and was IT director for Overnite Transportation and Markel Corp. before teaching theology at Benedictine Preparatory.College Richard B. Dempster Jr. ’77 died Sept. 28, 2021. He was an executive recruiting manager. John F. Wheatley ’78 , of Charlotte, North Carolina, died Dec. 7, 2021. He worked in the oil industry and later transitioned into banking and finance. He belonged to Phi Kappa Sigma. 1980s Virginia K. Boever ’80L , of Alexandria, New Mexico, died Jan. 7, 2022. She was a public defender for nearly 30 years.
Campbell until his retire ment .
Kent F. Sinclair ’85 , of Norridgewock, Maine, died Sept. 4, 2021. He was the town librarian.
Taylor S. Boone ’71 , of San Antonio, Texas, died Sept. 15, 2021. He was an estate planning attorney. He was cousin to Stan Taylor ’73 and belonged to Pi Kappa Phi.
Jonathan G. Newell ’98L , of Henderson, Maryland, died Sept. 10, 2021. He was a Caroline County circuit court judge. Lydia C. Nichols ’99, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, died April 18, 2022. She practiced anesthesiology. An accomplished eques trienne, she is credited with establishing W&L’s equestrian team as a varsity sport. She belonged to Chi Omega.
Henry A. Harkey ’71 , of Charlotte, North Carolina, died Dec. 1, 2021. He joined the family law firm Harkey, Faggart, Coira, Fletcher and Lambeth. He and his brother Averill C. Harkey ’74 co-founded Morehead Properties Inc. He belonged to Sigma Nu.
William P. Ewing ’86 , of Wilson, Wyoming, died Nov. 27, 2021. He served as the co-chair of the Renewable Energy Group at Barnes and Thornburg. He belonged to Kappa Sigma.
Thomas W. Houser ’70L , of Easton, Pennsylvania, died Feb. 20, 2022. He ran his own practice and was a solicitor to Williams Township.
William A. Simon Jr. ’73L , of Shaker Heights, Ohio, died Feb. 12, 2022. He practiced environ mental and labor law and was the announcer for the Shaker Heights High School hockey team.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 43
David L. Harrar II ’85 , of Sunnyvale, California, died Nov. 21, 2021. He specialized in phones.tictions,tromechanicalmicro-elecsystemsforavarietyofapplica-suchasfiber-opcablesandmobileHebelongedtoPhiKappaPsi.
John K. Motsinger ’70, of Walkertown, North Carolina, died Jan. 7, 2022. He practiced law, was an adjunct professor at Guilford College and volunteered for Legal Aid. He belonged to Delta Upsilon.
Paul Fredric Griffiths ’86L , of Lantana, Florida, died in October 2021. He retired in 2019 after a 33-year career as in-house coun sel for several large corporations.
Thomas F. Rawls ’89, of Tampa, Florida, died Oct. 18, 2021. He was an engi neer for Hillsborough County. He was father to Fitz Rawls ’21 and belonged to Kappa Alpha. 1990s David S. Daves ’90, of Denver, died Jan. 13, 2021. He was princi pal of Emily Griffith High School. Kyra Draves Sosna ’91 , of Poolesville, Maryland, died Oct. 30, 2020. She was a director of revenue accounting for Marriott International.
’02L,JeremiahFriends2000sD.Gibson of Virginia,Norton,diedNov. 20, 2021. He worked for Latham and Watkins in Washington, D.C. J. Christopher Davis ’07, of New Orleans, died Dec. 14, 2021. He practiced psychiatry at Crescent Care and the Virginia Hospital. He belonged to Sigma Chi.
Thomas Lee Brown Jr. ’74L , of Richmond, died Dec. 4, 2021. He was an attorney with Parker, Pollard and Brown. He belonged to Phi Delta Theta. Robert E. Huntley ’75 , of Key Largo, Florida, died Dec. 2, 2021. He taught sailing and scuba diving and operated fishing charters. He belonged to Pi Kappa Phi. Franklin P. Slavin Jr. ’75L , of VirginiadiedChesterfield,NorthVirginia,April18,2022.HeservedintheArmy,asanassistantjudgefortheGeneralDistrictCourtsandascommisionerofaccountsforWytheCounty.
Sidney C. Roseberry Jr. ’73 , of Louisville, Kentucky, died Jan. 7, 2022. He volunteered for the Peace Corps and was a nurse at Hardin Memorial Hospital. He belonged to Phi Gamma Delta.
Craig E. Cheney ’87, of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, died Sept. 17, 2021. He was head of the Blade Shop at Albion Swords and volunteered with the National ConservationWolfCenter. R. Robinson Crosby III ’87, of Richmond, died Jan. 27, 2022. He was a journalist, a network administrator and an independent IT projector manager. He belonged to Sigma Chi.
Peter F. Matera ’85L , of West Park, New York, died Nov. 25, 2021. He formed a private law practice, worked for the public defender’s office and then was a part-time assistant district attor ney. He was cousin to Rosemarie Matera ’80L.
Dr. Jeffrey B. Spence ’71 , of Prescott Valley, Arizona, died in March 2021. He retired from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. He belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon. D. Roger Munsick Jr. ’72 , of Charlottesville, died Sept. 22, 2021. He was a history professor at Randolph-Macon College, Mary VirginiaCollege,University,WashingtonDavidsonNorthernCommunityCollegeandPiedmontCommunityCollege.
Bruce A. Hahn ’82L , of Kalamazoo, Michigan, died Oct. 2, 2021. He was a contract administrator for Parker Aerospace. Jay K. Stratton ’84 , of Louisville, Kentucky, died Feb. 19, 2022. He was a commercial real estate broker and devel oper. He belonged to Phi Kappa Sigma.
James M. Maberry ’95 , of Kerrville, Texas, died Oct. 26, 2021. He worked in financial advis ing, banking and real estate. He belonged to Kappa Alpha.
Jack Calvin Arthur, who worked in University Facilities from 1970–1994, died Feb. 23, 2022. John H. DeCourcy, the former director of Financial Aid, died March 5, 2022. Scott “Porter” Wines, who worked in University Facilities for 31 years, died Nov. 25, 2021.
John G. Wolinski ’70, of Valdosta, Georgia, died Oct. 10, 2019. He served in the Navy during Vietnam. After retiring from the practice of law, he served as a public defender.
.
A hearty congratulations to the Class of 2022. In his remarks, President Will Dudley urged the new graduates to carry forward the lessons they’ve learned and make a positive impact in their future communities. More at go.wlu.edu/2022-commencement
44 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Commencement
2022
Also recognized during the Commencement ceremony was this year’s recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, Bri Mondesir.
At Washington and Lee University’s 235th Commencement ceremony, President William C. Dudley reminded students that no matter what they studied at W&L or where their plans take them next, their liberal arts education has prepared them to excel through lifelong learning, leadership and service to their communities. “You may not have studied leadership or citizenship,” Dudley said, “But if we have done our jobs, and you have done your jobs, you are ready to make significant contributions wherever you go, for the benefit of yourselves and your families, but also for the benefit of those less fortunate and the communities in which you live. By investing in you, W&L has made a long-term investment in the public good.”
Three students were named valedictorians of the class: Truman Thomas Chancy, Spencer Martich Kriss and Trang Thuy “Alyssa” Vu. Each earned a final GPA of 4.0.
COMMENCING CELEBRATE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 1. Alex Azer ’16 (brother-inlaw), Callie Taylor Azer ’17, Julie Salerno Taylor ’89, Felicity Taylor ’22, Rowan Taylor ’89 and Grahm Taylor ’93 (uncle). 2. Vivian Barker ’22 and Jim Barker ’87. 3. Camilla Beeley ’22 and Christoper Beeley ’90. 4. Annie Bernot ’22 and Michael Bernot ’82. 5. Katy Blain ’22 and Travis Blain ’90. 6. Andrew Boyd ’82 and Marion Boyd ’22. 7. Meredith Denby ’22 and Dough Denby ’91. 8. Caroline Wright Donaldson ’92 and Griffin Donaldson ’22. 9. Charlotte Freeman ’21, David Freeman ’22 and Peter Freeman ’89. 10. Kim Dickinson French ’94, Bradley French ’22 and Stephen French ’91. 11. Steve Grist ’86L, Mary Wilson Grist ’22, Elizabeth Grist ’22 and Mason Grist ’18. 12. Sophie Kidd ’22 and Lisa Lee ’88L. 13. Virginia Laurie ’22 and James Laurie ’84. 14. Rich Leary ’87 and Richard Leary ’22. 15. Andrew Lee ’90L, Sydney Lee ’22 and Taylor Lee ’18. 16. Mary Auro Lydon ’94, Katie Lydon ’22 and Kevin Lydon ’92. 17. Iain MacLeod ’22 and Laurel MacLeod ’92. 18. Audrey Martin ’22 and Jim Martin ’85L. 19. Frances McDonough ’22 and Roger McDonough ’84. 20. Roby Mize ’87 and Garrett Mize ’22. MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 45
TO
Graduates and their families commemorated the day with a photo.
22 23 242521 26 27 28 29 3033 3431 32 21. Carol O’Kelley ’91 and Cate O’Kelley ’22. 22. Dank Pinckeny ’84 and Amanda Pinckeny ’22. 23. Henry Saur ’94 and Henry Saur ’22. 24. Jackson Sharmon IV ’22 and Jackson Sharmon III ’83. 25. David Shugart ’87 and Ashley Shugart ’22. 26. David Symonds ’89 and Emily Symonds ’22. 27. Mary Alice Russell ’22 and Charles Russell ’67L. 28. McGowin Patrick ’86 and Lillian Patrick ’22. 29. Phillip Sampson ’90 and Charles Sampson ’22. 30. Stewart Speed ’86 and Warner Speed ’22. 31. Mackenzie Van Meter ’22 and Stephen Van Meter ’85. 32. Billy Webster ’79, Lily Webster ’22 and William Webster ’20. 33. George Wilkinson ’91, Laura Hendrey Wilkinson ’92, Brynn Wilkinson ’22 and Maddox Wilkinson ’20. 34. Kathleen Wilson ’22 and Tommy Wilson ’83. 46 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
Enjoying a class dinner
The Class of 2007 raised the third-largest gift for the 15th reunion ($540,347) The Class of 1992 raised the third-largest gift for the 30th reunion ($855,568)
The Class of 2007 raised the third-largest gift for the 15th reunion ($540,347) The Class of 1997 became the youngest class ever to raise more than $1 million in commitments for the Annual Fund in its reunion year ($1,065,311) With 100% of the reunion registrants in the class making a commitment, the Class of 1982 won the Reunion Chairs’ Bowl
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REUNION GIVING HIGHLIGHTS
Alumni Weekend
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President Dudley’s champagne breakfast
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Class of ’77
The Class of 2002 raised the second-largest gift for the 20th reunion ($858,635)
THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION elected Lindsey Strachan Komisin ’09 as incoming president and Jane Ledlie Batcheller ’03, ’08L, as well as six new members of the Alumni Board of Directors: Kristen Youngblood Archer ’06, Jim Clifton ’86, Jerry Maatman ’78, Garrott McClintock ’10, Tom O’Brien ’88, ’91L and Rachel Weingartner ’06. Saturday’s Generals Assembly also honored four recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Receiving the Alumni Association’s highest honor were Lex O. McMillan ’72, Edward “Ned” G. Moore ’72, Robert Covington ’97 and Erika Snyder Hagberg ’97. In addition, President Dudley recognized Waller T. Dudley ’74, ’79L, executive director of Alumni Engagement, on his retirement and presented him with a commemo rative plaque. The success of the weekend was underscored by the class reunion gifts. Collectively, this year’s reunion classes raised more than $1.34 million for the 2021-22 Annual Fund and com mitted a total of $4.8 million in current gifts and future pledges to the Annual Fund. That figure was $400,000 more than these classes contributed five years ago at their last reunion.
MAGAZINE.WLU.EDU 47 ALUMNI EVENTS
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• May 5-7
48 THE WASHINGTON AND LEE MAGAZINE
The couple joined World Vision International and embarked on service missions to the DR Congo and other countries building schools and managing food security and economic empowerment projects. While serving in Haiti, Williams and his son lost contact with his wife and two daughters during the 2010 earthquake, concluding they had died in a collapsed building. When reunited, “I went from being the poorest guy in the world to being the richest.”
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CHUTES LADDERSAND BY LOUISE UFFELMAN
President Robert E.R. Huntley ’50, ’57’s 1982 Commencement speech. Read the full speech at huntley-1982-commencementgo.wlu.edu/. ,,
WILLIAMSJUNEBYPHOTO CHRONICLES
“Whether 22 or 82, continually take small — and sometimes really big — risks for the common good. You will keep the angels busy, and you will have an extraordinary adventure.”
He added, “We have been assaulted, robbed, evacuated during violent government over throws and other disruptions, stuck in a river all night and landed on grass airstrips many times (watch out for the goats). We’ve engaged with the UN officials at the highest levels, presidents of nations, and, most importantly, with children in villages around the world.
“Then, and now, I’ve been deeply touched by his words,” said Williams. “The reminder that we should figure out what’s important to us and then do it. That surprises will find us, but there is a humility in learning to move past them. And there’s value in seeking out intelligent risks for the greater good. I’m so grateful I’ve been willing to let that philosophy be my North Star.”
His forward path led him to a job with KPMG, a law degree from U.Va. and a stint as a public finance attorney. But one day, mindful of Huntley’s counsel, he and his wife, June, decided to lean their ladder against a different wall.
ORTY YEARS AFTER earning his B.A. in accounting, Frank Williams ’82, who works for a global reforestation startup, has been thinking about President Robert Huntley ’50, ’57L’s 1982 commencement speech.
yourself.expectationsyourofDemand a satisfying answer.”
Once in a while go to a mountain top and take stock of yourself and beliefs and inquire into
Williams received the WSJ Student Achievement Award (highest GPA in the Williams School) and the university’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. He thought he was heading to the University of Strasbourg as a Fulbright scholar but learned at the end of his senior year that his research project had been rejected.
So, after a “brief pout,” he followed Huntley’s advice and “brushed myself off and rejoined the dance.”
Josephine Schaeffer Covington ’96 is no stranger to setting records. She posted blisteringly fast times on the cross country and track teams, earning her a berth in W&L’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Covington never thought she would attend W&L, even though her father Fred Schaeffer ’64 was an alumnus. “I don’t think he ever dreamed his daughter would go there,” said Covington. But when it came time to visit colleges, Covington quickly fell in love. She knew the university would offer a full college experience that included leadership, academics and sports. Covington, a biology major, ran track and cross country (the first woman to earn All American in two sports), served as a head resident advisor and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Your gift to the Annual Fund will go to work immediately. For more information, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at 540-458-8420 or visit online at wlu.edu/give/the-annual-fund.
“When
“The truth is, when it’s something you love, you don’t feel like you’re selling anything,” said Covington. “I’m encouraging other alumni to think about why they love W&L and encour aging them to pay it forward. So much of our experience was because of those who came before us.” Covington looks forward to the challenge of chairing the 2022-23 Annual Fund and hopes to continue her streak of breaking records by increasing overall alumni participation. Her new volunteer position will also give her more opportunities to visit campus, where her oldest daughter, Nell, is a rising junior.
Setting Records
“Nothing speaks more highly of a school than when they have a strong, supportive alumni base,” said Covington. “That means they had a great experience and want others to have the same experience.” n
MORE ABOUT JOSEPHINE
In July, Josephine Schaeffer Covington ’96, P’24 became the first undergraduate alumnae Annual Fund chair. She takes over from Andrew Tate ’98, who served as chair for five years.
Two-and-a-half decades later, she set a different kind of record for her milestone reunion. Answering the call to serve as co-chair of her 25th class reunion giving campaign in 2021, she and her classmates broke the record for most money raised by a 25th reunion class, with more than $4.6 million in overall giving. She and co-chair Russell Croft are just as proud of getting their class over 50% partici pation during a challenging year.
you’reyouyousomethingit’slove,don’tfeellikesellinganything.”
SCENE ON CAMPUS
1. W&L hosted its first Greek Leadership Institute on Jan. 5-6, providing development opportunities designed specifically for student leaders in the university’s Greek community.
2. Alexandra Byler ’25, Lilly Jordan ’25, Georgia Bernbaum ’25 and Aoife Braverman ’25 relax on the Front Lawn. 3. Elisabeth Matthews ’23 and Will Winstead ’22 work together on the Holekamp Hall porch.
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5. Author Rebecca Makkai ’99 gave this year’s Tom Wolfe Lecture Series address in University Chapel.
4. Gavin Fox, associate professor of business administration, plays a little ’90s rock in the Cohen Family Amphitheater.
6. Sarah Martin ’23 shows Georgia Ballew ’23 the video game she wrote in her Video Game Design class.
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