NEW STUDENT WELLNESS CENTER INSPIRES GENEROUS SUPPORT
Those who knew LindLey spaht dodson, a pediatrician and member of the Washington and Lee University Class of 1999, describe her as a source of joy, comfort and inspiration. Now, thanks to an outpouring of support from the W&L community, her memory and legacy will continue to impact generations of students through the Lindley Center for Student Wellness.
The center will serve as the new home for student health — both physical and mental — and is projected to open in the fall of 2025. The facility will be staffed with both counseling resources and health professionals to foster overall student well-being. The Lindley Center will be constructed on East Denny Circle, in a location convenient for both undergraduate and law students.
Initially, the center was to be located within the new Williams School, which is currently under construction on West Washington Street. However, after further review of students’ needs, the university decided the project warranted a standalone building. The Spaht family expanded its lead gift to $4 million to support the new design. Since that time, extended members of both sides of the Spaht and Dodson families have contributed significant gifts to the project.
For their 25th reunion in 2024, the Class of 1999, led by co-chairs Cory Birdsall and T. Blair, chose the Lindley Center as their class project, subsequently raising $1.4 million (as of June 20, 2024) to support the initiative. In 2021, the Class of 1996 contributed more than $500,000 to the center as part of their class’s commitment to student health and wellness during their 25th reunion year. Additionally, The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, based in Richmond, Virginia, contributed a $300,000 challenge grant to support the facility.
Lindley was tragically killed in January 2021, while she was working at Children’s Medical Group in Austin, Texas, leaving behind her husband, Drew Dodson ’00, and three young children. For Drew, the Lindley Center project has been an important
’99
“THE ABILITY TO TELL LINDLEY’S STORY THROUGH THIS BUILDING HAS MEANT A GREAT DEAL TO ME AND OUR FAMILY.”
DREW DODSON ’00
LINDLEY SPAHT DODSON
way to preserve Lindley’s memory for his children as well as family and friends.
“This is a really special project that addresses a clear need in this place that she loved,” Dodson says. “The ability to tell Lindley’s story through this building has meant a great deal to me and our family.”
In addition to running her own practice, Lindley served as an attending physician at Dell Children’s Hospital and as a faculty member at the Dell Medical School pediatrics department, where she was recognized with faculty of the year awards in 2012 and 2017. A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native, she earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans in 2003. Following her pediatric residency at Vanderbilt University, Lindley spent time as a Harvard Medical School instructor and as an urgent care physician at Boston Children’s Hospital before moving to Austin in 2007.
Hudson Smith ’99 was a classmate and friend of Lindley and is now a partner at Thoma Bravo alongside Lindley’s brother, Holden. Smith is also one of the project’s lead donors and says once he learned of the demand on campus for mental health services and the opportunities to support a clear need among students, he was excited to contribute to such an impactful addition to campus.
“Contributing to something that is a new addition to the school is a special thing to be a part of,” Smith says. “There is a real need for this.”
“I THINK WE’RE ALL ACUTELY AWARE OF THE NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF SPACE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS AND THE RESOURCES THAT IT WILL HOUSE.”
CORY BIRDSALL ’99
Birdsall, one of Lindley’s close friends, says there was almost unanimous support among her classmates for the center as a reunion class project, not only due to the connection with their friend and classmate but because of their roles as parents.
“Most of us are at an age where we have children approaching the college search process,” Birdsall says, “and I think we’re all acutely aware of the need for this type of space on a college campus and the resources that it will house.”
Jenny Stone Wolkind, a close friend of Lindley’s and a leading donor to the Class of 1999’s class project, describes Lindley as a “bright light, one that exuded positivity and connection,” and envisions the facility as being an extension of that spirit.
“When I think about the role she played in her life as a counselor to parents of sick children,” Wolkind says, “I imagine the Lindley Center as being a place where people come to get support and counsel that hopefully is not a sterile place, but a place that has a positive energy around it. That is totally aligned with her legacy.”
Vice President for Student Affairs Sidney Evans says the center is an investment in W&L’s holistic approach to student wellness.
“Mental and physical health are related in many cases,” Evans says, “and this space will facilitate better collaboration.” Evans adds that the building’s design incorporates valuable lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic including infirmary rooms, bathroom
facilities and air exchanges built to accommodate any future needs for isolation and quarantine.
Holden Spaht, Lindley’s brother and current W&L parent, says the building’s ability to meet students’ needs for mental health resources was an area of particular focus as the family considered the impact the Lindley Center could have on campus.
“Almost a quarter of students at Washington and Lee seek mental health services yearly — upwards of 3,000 counseling sessions,” Spaht said in a social media post recognizing the Lindley Center on World Mental Health Day. “I hope students feel comfortable ‘going to Lindley’ to take care of their mental health needs. Because that — going to Lindley — is exactly what so many of us did, and we’re so proud to continue to honor her legacy and memory.”
The Lindley Center for Student Wellness is scheduled to open in 2025.
Drew and Lindley Dodson with their children Shaw, Lolo and Tucker.
A Final Act of Generosity
BRIAN C. SHEARER SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Brian Shearer ’94 did not pLan to attend washington and Lee. He had been accepted at Carnegie Mellon, but with encouragement from a W&L alum whom he met while working at the mall, Brian changed his mind mid-summer and joined the Class of 1994. It was a decision that changed the course of his life for the better. Decades later, when he realized his life was going to be cut short by cancer, Brian spent his final days giving back to his beloved university.
“I am in awe of his generosity and forethought,” says Sally Stone Richmond, vice president for admission and financial aid at W&L. “As Brian’s illness progressed, he continued to think about future generations of students accessing a W&L education. His gift epitomizes paying it forward. We are humbled to be able to honor his request when naming future Brian Shearer Scholarship recipients. Thanks to his vision, students will be enrolling at W&L who would otherwise not be able to attend.”
Brian majored in business administration and history. Immediately after graduation, he began a 25-year career as an accountant with KPMG in Roanoke and Richmond. Although he was from the Philadelphia area, his sister, Stacey Bancroft, recalls, “Brian went to Virginia and never came back. He loved it there.” His father, Richard Shearer, adds, “W&L brought focus to his life. Brian set out a career path for himself, and he stuck to it.”
Part of the attraction to Virginia was his love of history, particularly related to the Civil War, but Brian’s KPMG colleague and best friend, Phil Bennett, says it went far beyond that. “He definitely let us know where he went to college,” Bennett laughs. “He carried a keychain he was given as a freshman. On one side was a picture of George Washington. On the other side, it said, ‘George Gave Here.’ It was a reminder to students to carry on that legacy.”
It’s not surprising that an accountant would be organized, but according to family and friends, Brian took it to a whole new
Brian Shearer ’94 with his sister Stacey Bancroft and parents, Richard and Judy, and niece, Jill Bancroft.
“WE ARE HUMBLED TO BE ABLE TO HONOR HIS REQUEST WHEN NAMING FUTURE BRIAN SHEARER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS.”
SALLY STONE RICHMOND
level. His 1994 classmate Scott Sykes was a fellow business major who spent many hours working on assignments with him. “Brian was a hard worker. He was the ‘get it done’ person. He would do all the work. He did not see his brilliance; he was very humble,” Scott remembers.
Brian was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2019, and despite pursuing every treatment option, by 2022 he realized his illness was terminal. In his typical get-it-done way, he started making estate plans. Brian never married and lived a minimalist lifestyle, so he had accrued a sizeable portfolio. Recalling George Washington’s legacy and the impact the university had on his life, he contacted the W&L Development Office for assistance in creating the Brian C. Shearer Scholarship Endowment with a $1.2 million estate gift.
Leaving a legacy gift like this for future W&L students was a “no-brainer,” he explained to Nancy McIntyre, senior philanthropic adviser. “W&L helped get me on the right path as a young and confused student, and my wish is that future generations of students can also experience what a genuinely special place W&L is.”
Brian died Sept. 15, 2022. “Someone once said, ‘It’s not about the beginning date and end date. It’s all about the dash,’” Bancroft says. “Brian lived the dash.”
Legacy of Outdoor Exploration
Matelich Endowment enhances Outing Club experiences
To say that George Matelich Jr. ’18 comes from a fly-fishing family is an understatement. His mother, Susan, laughingly says that “the family that fishes together, stays together.” George says he grew up fly fishing from the time he could walk.
When he visited Washington and Lee during his college search, George was delighted to discover
that the university not only had a robust Outing Club, but under that umbrella, there was a fly-fishing club. He quickly joined and brought with him the skills he had learned in fly-fishing guide school in Montana. He went on to serve as president of the club, expanding the programming to include involvement with the national conservation organization Trout Unlimited.
“As a very high-strung person, I find spending time outside has always been important,” George says. “It was good to have that encouragement to take advantage of a place where I may never live again.” Susan adds that opportunities to be outdoors helped George manage the dual stresses of academics and being a member of the wrestling team.
Susan and George Matelich Sr. are as passionate about philanthropy as they are about fly fishing and wanted to make a gift to W&L to
honor George’s graduation in 2018. In gratitude for George’s experience, they established the Susan and George Matelich P’18 Endowment for the Outing Club to provide funds for equipment and resources so that students of all skill levels can enjoy safe, enjoyable experiences in the outdoors.
“There are causes we care about and people we care about,” Susan says. “Putting the two together is motivating. It was rewarding to do something that highlighted George’s particular interest. This just seemed like something that could benefit everyone.”
The Outing Club organizes more than 275 trips each year, from sunset hikes on House Mountain to kayaking and paddleboarding on the Maury River to rock climbing and much more. More than half of all W&L students, including undergraduate and law, participate in the organization each year.
BRIAN SHEARER ’94
George Matelich Jr. ’18 and his wife, Anne.
Anonymous Donor’s Gift Propels Law School Scholarships
MATCHING CHALLENGE AIMS TO HELP ALLEVIATE STUDENT DEBT
Agenerous anonymous donor has p L edged
$2.5 million to support student financial aid at Washington and Lee University School of Law.
The donor will match every new dollar given or pledged for scholarships during the remainder of the Leading Lives of Consequence campaign.
Dean of W&L Law Melanie Wilson has prioritized support for students as a pillar of her tenure, and reducing student debt is a large part of her focus. While bankrate.com recently named W&L Law the top best-value private law school based on the income-to-debt ratio, students still graduate with an average debt of about $100,000.
“It is critical that we support students with grants and scholarships so that upon graduation, they have the option to choose not only high-paying corporate and law firm positions, but also work in nonprofit organizations, government agencies and other public interest work,” Wilson says.
Increasing financial aid resources is also critical in the law school marketplace. Cost is a pivotal factor for students when choosing a
“WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS ANONYMOUS DONOR AND TO ALL WHO ANSWER THE CALL AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES THAT WILL BE MATCHED DURING THE CHALLENGE.”
MELANIE WILSON
law school, and competition is fierce between W&L Law and top competitors for outstanding students.
“While W&L Law has enjoyed great success on this front, having just enrolled our strongest class academically in well over a decade, we must continue to build on our strengths,” says Wilson. “Recruiting top students allows us to preserve the reputation for excellence that has long defined the W&L Law community.”
The challenge will contribute to a goal of $20 million the law school is seeking for financial aid as part of the campaign. The anonymous donor will match every new gift toward student scholarship endowments that the law school receives between October 2023 and the conclusion of the campaign in July 2027. Alumni and friends of W&L Law can establish scholarships with a minimum gift of $100,000 or contribute to one of the school’s existing scholarships. The law school currently has 127 named scholarships.
“We are incredibly grateful for this anonymous donor and to all who answer the call and contribute to our financial aid resources that will be matched during the challenge,” says Wilson.
Campaign Initiative Highlights
SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTRACT THE BEST LAW STUDENTS
In today’s highly competitive market for legal education, scholarships are critical to attracting top-caliber students. W&L Law prides itself on offering a distinctive education and cultivating broad-minded, highly skilled and honorable practitioners of law. Additional scholarship resources will enable more students of exceptional academic and personal promise to benefit from a W&L Law education without incurring insurmountable debt.
THE FULL W&L LAW EXPERIENCE
While classroom excellence remains a hallmark of W&L Law, many students and alumni cite the school’s unparalleled opportunities as a defining part of their experience. Applying and reflecting upon one’s academic lessons in a real-world setting is invaluable and irreplaceable. Whether it is a rigorous externship or an eye-opening clinical opportunity alongside a faculty expert, we aspire to ensure that every student has access to the full W&L Law experience, regardless of their financial means.
For more information about the $2.5 million Law School financial aid challenge, contact Sarah Hughes, assistant dean of Law School advancement, at shughes@wlu.edu.
The Privilege of Service
CLARKE GIFT TO SUPPORT LAW SCHOOL FINANCIAL NEED
From the professors who encouraged him to think intentionally and with purpose to the judicial externships that honed his legal acumen, Penn Clarke ’13L puts tremendous importance on his experience at Washington and Lee School of Law.
“In small classroom settings, surrounded by peers who supported one another and professors who encouraged an environment of intellectual honesty, I received a tremendous legal education at W&L that prepared me for the practice of law and helped me obtain my first legal job that has propelled my career as a lawyer,” says Clarke.
To recognize this impact, Clarke and his wife, Amy, have pledged $100,000 to endow the Gertrude A. and Louis P. Turpin ’33 Scholarship, which will be awarded to a law student, based on demonstrated financial need, who has exhibited traits of character, leadership and outstanding achievement or high potential. The scholarship is named in honor of Clarke’s grandparents, whose legacy of service and connection to W&L made a profound impact on his life.
Louis P. Turpin enrolled at W&L on a scholarship during the Great Depression. He later served in the United States Navy during World War II, taking part in five different invasions on board LST-632. Clarke’s grandmother volunteered at the Rationing Board in Bedford, Virginia during the war.
“They continued a life of giving after the war, and through their example and that of my parents, I have learned that generosity and service are a privilege,” Clarke says.
Clarke is a partner with Longleaf Law Partners in Raleigh, North Carolina. Before joining his current firm, he practiced in the Charlotte and Raleigh offices of K&L Gates and served as a law clerk to the Honorable G. Steven Agee, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
While a student at W&L Law School, Clarke served as a Burks Scholar, vice chair of the Moot Court Executive Board and co-chair of the Lewis F. Powell Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series. As an alumnus, he has served as a Law Class Agent, on the Law Young Alumni Council and on the Law Council.
For Clarke, establishing this scholarship is his way of paying it forward while also honoring the past. “In my mind, there is no better way to ‘repay’ W&L for the education that I received than by creating a scholarship in my grandparents’ memory that rewards deserving students and provides them with similar opportunities to those received by my grandfather and me at W&L.”
Penn Clarke ’13L and his wife, Amy.
W&L Establishes Lettie Pate Evans Society for Alumnae Donors
SOCIETY AMPLIFIES ALUMNAE’S PHILANTHROPIC POWER
A few of the inaugural members of the Lettie Pate Evans Society include (from left to right) Alston Parker Watt ’89, Caroline Boone Mitchell ’89, Helen Sanders ’04, Betsy Pakenas ’94, Mai Sykes ’94, Valerie Harper ’99 and Jenny Stone Wolkind ’99.
It is an exciting era for women in philanthropy, and Washington and Lee University is encouraging its alumnae to realize their potential as philanthropic leaders with the establishment of the Lettie Pate Evans Society.
As the university approaches its 40th anniversary of co-education, the Lettie Pate Evans Society seeks to engage women in creating impactful legacies at W&L and providing unique opportunities for alumnae to have a voice in the future of the university. Members can direct their contributions to the areas of the university that resonate with them most, ensuring each gift not only reflects the individual donor’s values and interests but also collectively enhances its impact across campus.
“I give to Washington and Lee not only because of what the university is and what it has meant to me personally but because of what it will be,” says Betsy Pakenas ’94, a wealth adviser and current W&L Board of Trustees member from Frederick, Maryland. “W&L is full of such promise, and the education it offers, both in and outside the classroom, only gets better with time. Giving to W&L helps ensure that the university continues to be a premier liberal arts institution as it raises future generations of leaders.”
Named for Letitia “Lettie” Pate Whitehead Evans, a significant philanthropist and the largest benefactor in W&L’s history, the society celebrates the university’s female donors at a crucial point in the history of philanthropy. Women currently have more earning power and are controlling more wealth than at any
other time in U.S. history, and according to a 2023 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy, among the top 60% of income earners, women are more likely to give — and give more — to secular causes.
These trends are expected to continue, and W&L hopes to provide its alumnae with a meaningful way to channel their philanthropic efforts into a cause that supports future generations of students.
The Lettie Pate Evans Society not only amplifies women’s giving power but also provides opportunities for alumnae to connect and build community, pushing each other to expand their philanthropic impact.
Jocelyn Lewis, director of leadership giving, says the society is launching at a pivotal time in the university’s history as the first undergraduate alumnae celebrate their 35th reunion in 2024.
“By intentionally engaging women and inviting them to harness their philanthropic power, the Lettie Pate Evans Society unites our most generous alumnae around a shared commitment to enrich W&L’s future,” Lewis says. “The society strengthens our community and highlights the transformative influence of women and serves as an inspiring model for our students and future philanthropists.”
For Pakenas, becoming a member of the society sets a powerful example for Washington and Lee alumnae.
“It’s an opportunity for our alumnae to experience the power of collective giving and to a community that is special to each of us,” she says. “And through the society, we’re also creating a community of our own that is engaged with W&L and its future and can serve as a role model for the next generation of women.”
“I GIVE TO WASHINGTON AND LEE NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT THE UNIVERSITY IS AND WHAT IT HAS MEANT TO ME PERSONALLY BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT IT WILL BE.”
BETSY PAKENAS ’94
The Lettie Pate Evans Society launched in June 2024; Amy Farnsworth ’97 and Mai Sykes ’94 are serving as co-chairs. Membership in the society is available to any woman who commits $100,000 or more, payable over five years, during the Leading Lives of Consequence Campaign. Visit wlu.edu/giving to learn more about the impact of philanthropy on the university and its students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Trust in W&L
CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM THE LETTIE PATE EVANS FOUNDATION
DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF ENDOWED GIVING
For c L ose to a century, Letitia “Lettie” p ate Whitehead Evans has made a remarkable impact on Washington and Lee University and the thousands of students who have called it home. Her philanthropic contributions, namely a bequest that has resulted in more than $275 million in endowment funds, impact the entire W&L experience. Evans’ giving touches everything from building renovations to the ability to attract and retain top faculty, to making attending W&L possible for students and their families. With a focus on education, religious and cultural philanthropy throughout her lifetime, Evans’ belief in W&L has played a large part in the institution becoming the liberal arts powerhouse it is today.
Evans, an accomplished businesswoman and philanthropist, was the first woman to serve on the Coca-Cola Company board of directors. After her husband, Joseph Brown Whitehead, died unexpectedly in 1906, Evans took over the family’s real estate assets and business affairs, which included managing the Coca-Cola Company’s bottling operations, to which Evans’ company had exclusive rights. She sold the bottling enterprise — which had grown to more than 1,000 plants in 1934 — back to Coca-Cola in exchange for stock, thus securing her appointment to the board.
She remarried in 1913 to Col. Arthur Evans, and the couple made their home in Hot Springs, Virginia. That move would prove fortuitous for W&L, as Evans struck up a friendship with W&L’s 13th president, Francis Gaines, and his wife, Sadie duVergne Gaines. During one visit, Evans gave President Gaines a check for $20,000, which was used to transform the clay tennis courts into the multipurpose courts on campus today.
Before she died in 1953, Evans ensured that W&L was named among the five college and university benefactors of the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation. The university receives 15% of the income distribution from the foundation each year. At the time of her death, Evans’ estate was valued at $9.3 million, $4.7 million of which was used to fund the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation.
A LEGACY OF GROWTH
At $1.99 billion as of June 2023, W&L’s endowment, bolstered by excellent stewardship from the institution’s leadership and board of trustees, places the university in the upper echelon of liberal arts schools. In 1993, the university ranked 20th in endowment-per-student among private liberal arts colleges in the country; today, W&L is eighth. The endowment is divided into two parts: $1.36 billion, which is internally controlled by
W&L leadership and $632 million, which is made up of trusts held by others. Support from the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation makes up 95% of the value of trusts held by others.
Since 1954, the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation has distributed more than $250 million in unrestricted support to W&L. Income distributions from the foundation underwrite the university’s operating budget, providing critical flexibility to address the greatest areas of need each year. And those distributions have increased significantly, starting at $23,786 in 1954 and expected to be more than $18.4 million this year.
At 10% of the university’s revenue, the perpetual contributions from the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation help attract and retain high-quality faculty and staff in terms of competitive salaries and classroom resources and provide funding for both curricular and co-curricular opportunities for students.
“It’s unrestricted, which is the greatest gift you can receive,” says Steve McAllister, W&L treasurer and vice president for finance. “This is the type of support that’s a difference-maker in being a good institution and a great institution.”
As the value of the foundation’s support has grown, so too has W&L’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of students in terms of services, classroom technology and programs. The stability that the university’s largest single endowment provides allows for the forward-thinking flexibility necessary for serving the next generation.
“At its heart, I think support from the foundation is an investment in people,” says Wendy Lovell, director of corporate and foundation relations at W&L. “When you understand the power of unrestricted giving, you also can see that the donor and recipient are entering a trust relationship. Lettie Pate Evans trusted W&L to use her money where it needed it the most, when it needed it the most. The friendship with President and Mrs. Gaines, that became a friendship with Washington and Lee, has led to the biggest gift we’ve ever received.”
At the outset of Evans’ estate gift to W&L, President Gaines said, “We shall not know for some time exactly what amount the university is to receive from this legacy. I am hopeful, however, that it will prove to be among the large and important gifts in our institutional history.”
“W&L would not be the institution it is today without this generous benefaction,” McAllister says. “It shows the remarkable impact that endowment giving can have on an institution.”
Wali Bacdayan, rector of the W&L Board of Trustees, Will Dudley, president of W&L, Russell Hardin, president of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation and Jenner Wood III, chair of the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation Board of Trustees.
Washington and Lee University posthumously awarded its highest honor, the Washington Award, to Letitia Pate Whitehead Evans during a celebration of philanthropy event in May commemorating the transformative impact of Evans’ philanthropy.
The Washington Award was established in 2001 and recognizes extraordinary acts of philanthropy in support of W&L and other institutions and distinguished leadership and service to the nation.
“In presenting the Washington Award to Mrs. Evans, we recognize that her philanthropy is extraordinary by any measure, and its impact has been felt long after her passing,” said W&L President Will Dudley.
EMPOWERING EDUCATION
In addition to the transformative endowment gift, W&L’s relationship with this philanthropic trailblazer has resulted in multiple benefits. The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, a public charity established in 1946 by Evans’ son, Conkey Pate Whitehead, devotes the majority of its resources to the Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship Program, which provides need-based scholarships to women at more than 200 educational institutions in nine Southeastern states. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded $998 million in grants. During the 2023-24 academic year, W&L awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships to 17 Lettie Pate Whitehead scholars. To date, W&L has educated 145 Lettie Pate Whitehead scholars.
“I am so incredibly grateful for all the scholarship donors, especially the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, for their generous donations,” said Lettie Pate Whitehead scholar Olivia O’Hanlon ’26, who plans to major in neuroscience with the goal of becoming a pediatric psychiatrist. “Without their support, I would not be able to attend this remarkable school. I grew up in a family with a single mom, and I did not think attending a school like W&L would be an option. I am so thankful for all the people who made that possible.”
BUILDING FUTURES
Lettie Pate Evans Foundation grants, separate from the estate bequest, provide support to private secondary and higher education institutions, arts and culture organizations and to museums and historic preservation.
In 2009, the foundation gave W&L $1 million toward the renovation and restoration of Newcomb Hall, the first of the historic Colonnade buildings to be renovated as part of a $50 million, five-year Colonnade project. Newcomb received infrastructure upgrades in addition to new technology and furnishings in faculty offices and classrooms. In 2000, the foundation gave the university $500,000 (the largest single donation to the project) toward the renovation of Reid Hall. Built in 1904, Reid Hall originally housed the chemistry department. With the journalism department moving into Reid in 1965, the renovation project included the addition of a conference room and multimedia lab to allow journalism students to remain competitive in print, broadcast and digital media.
Agents for Success
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF W&L’S CLASS AGENT VOLUNTEERS
Mai Spurlock Sykes ’94 began serving as a Class Agent in 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic and during the Board of Trustee’s deliberations on W&L’s name and symbols. Despite joining the program at a challenging time, she thrived in the role, finding it rewarding and interesting.
“The position demanded that I engage with classmates I had either never gotten to know or had not spoken to since college,” she says. “A lot has changed for us since then. When you are in college, you are very focused on yourself. I learned that perhaps I didn’t know people as well as I thought I did, as I learned a lot about my classmates through reconnecting with them.”
Washington and Lee’s Class Agent program strengthens relationships between alumni, serving to reinforce the famed W&L network. It also puts alumni in the position of serving as ambassadors who share updates and news from the university so that its constituency
is informed and connected. Class Agents educate alumni on the importance of consistent gifts to the W&L Annual Fund and encourage loyal support.
Sykes, who now also serves on the Annual Fund Council, also appreciates the challenging conversations she has had with fellow alumni over the years. “I think I have been able to change a few minds, quell some misconceptions about what it’s like on campus today and get people out of their own echo chambers,” she says. Sykes encourages alumni with concerns about the university to visit and experience the W&L of today from the students’ perspectives. As a screenwriter, Sykes enjoys getting to know people and understanding their opinions and motivations, but she points out that the W&L community is social by nature, which makes it easy to connect.
“I haven’t met an alum or a parent, for that matter, who doesn’t want to chat about W&L for a while — whether it’s to share praise
W&L Annual Giving
221
Class Agent volunteers in the 20232024 fiscal year
600+
Annual giving volunteers in the 2023-2024 fiscal year
90+
Years of the Class Agent program
$10 Million+
raised in annual giving in fiscal year 2023-2024, thanks in part to the dedication of Class Agents
Interested in learning how you can become a Class Agent? Contact Katherine Dau, Director of Annual Giving, at kdau@wlu.edu.
President Will Dudley congratulates the Class of 1994 Reunion Co-Chairs: Mary Auro Lydon ’94, Mai Spurlock Sykes ’94, Trabue Bland ’94 and Colin Higgins ’94.
“THE LESSONS OF W&L REMAIN WITH ME, AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LEARNED THEM AS A STUDENT AND ALUM.”
MAI SPURLOCK SYKES ’94
Catalyst for Change
Lawson Endowment funds leadership roles in the DeLaney Center
Since its inception in 2021, the DeLaney Center has served as an interdisciplinary academic forum to promote teaching and research on race and Southern identity. It serves as a resource for students and faculty in all three of the university’s academic units — the College,
or concerns,” she says. “People don’t always talk about their schools with such passion.”
W&L’s Class Agent framework began as a class secretary program in the 1930s. A few designated alumni were responsible for collecting and distributing news among classmates, and, by 1934, the university had located more than 90% of living alumni. This newly identified group proved instrumental in the funding for a speedy reconstruction of Tucker Hall after a 1934 fire razed the building. Through the years, the university has continued to invest in its volunteers, producing training resources, implementing a volunteer database and launching a Volunteer Weekend to bring together key people who serve W&L so
the Williams School of Commerce, Economics and Politics and the School of Law. Through their newly established endowment, Dr. Jeff Lawson ’68 and his wife, Mary, hope to position Washington and Lee at the forefront of research and teaching on Black history in the South.
The Jeffrey G. Lawson ’68 Endowment for the DeLaney Center will fund the center’s new Undergraduate Fellows Program for students serving in leadership roles. The fund will support students engaged in a variety of learning experiences ranging from research projects, organizing student conferences and symposia, internships, travel to conferences and career or graduate exploration opportunities.
“We have set an idea in motion,” Lawson says, “that will have a big impact on Washington and Lee’s future.”
Michael Hill, director of the DeLaney Center and chair of Africana studies, says his goal is to hire up to 12 undergraduate
they can make connections with each other as well as faculty and staff.
“It is a great event. I was able to interact with volunteers in other class years, and being on campus, it made me feel like I was back in college,” Sykes says.
In addition to her dedicated volunteer work for W&L as a Class Agent and co-chair of her record-breaking 30th reunion committee this year, Sykes juggles family life with her husband and fellow alumnus Scott Sykes ’94 and a career in film. While it is a busy time in her life, she is happy to give back. “W&L is such a unique place, and so many of us love it,” Sykes says. “It would be a shame not to support it and help give students the impactful experiences that I had.”
fellows for the 2024-2025 academic year who will be tasked with assisting with DeLaney Center faculty research initiatives, compiling digital content from events and ongoing work on the Black Women in Desegregation project, which chronicles the experiences of Black women on W&L’s campus during the first three decades of coeducation. Hill said the DeLaney Center’s prior work and departmental collaborations across campus have provided a roadmap for how to expand the center’s scope. This expansion would not be possible without the help of the new endowment.
“As an institution of higher education, W&L is evolving as it should,” Hill says.
“A lot of partnership and collaboration is being put in place that is going to yield fruit for decades.”
Learn more about the DeLaney Center’s programs and initiatives.
Dr. Jeff Lawson ’68 and his wife, Mary.
Celebrating an Extraordinary Legacy
PAT AND MARSHALL NUCKOLS’ ESTATE GIFT SUPPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
Devoted supporters and engaged members of the Washington and Lee community, Patricia K. and E. Marshall Nuckols Jr. ’33, ’35L were recognized posthumously as Honored Benefactors of the university during a special ceremony on May 17. The couple left $6.5 million to W&L through their estate, and the family created the E. Marshall Nuckols Jr. ’33, ’35L and Patricia K. Nuckols Endowment with the extraordinary gift. The endowment will provide full scholarship support to undergraduate students as well as fund student opportunities including travel, research and internships that are part of the full W&L experience.
“Pat and Marshall were very generous, loved to talk to young people and wanted them to learn as much as they possibly could,” says Orville Dewey, the couple’s nephew. “They never sought the limelight, but they were always focused on the future. This gift came down to the students, to give back to the kids and make an education possible.”
The Nuckolses’ niece, Susan Thurston, says the couple made a lasting impact on at least three generations of their family, teaching them values and life lessons while encouraging curiosity and tenacity.
“They weren’t bold about it, but they were change agents, and they wanted to give people opportunities,” Thurston says. “They knew what people needed, and that’s why their money is going to scholarship support and the Washington and Lee experience — to provide students the opportunities they were lucky enough to have in different ways, hers through traveling the world on field hockey and lacrosse teams and his through attending W&L.”
Cumulatively, the Nuckolses generously gave more than $7.3 million to the university. Through her own significant estate gift, Pat contributed to the E. Marshall Nuckols Jr. Honor Scholarship, originally established by the Barra Foundation in Marshall’s memory after his passing. The couple also supported the construction of the Lewis F. Powell Jr. Archives in Lewis Hall and made regular, generous contributions to the law and undergraduate annual funds.
A dual graduate, Marshall was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa and Order of the Coif. He was elected vice president of his class, worked on the Ring-tum Phi and was a member of the swimming, diving and football teams. Marshall earned his undergraduate degree in 1933 and graduated at the top of his W&L Law class in 1935.
Patricia K. and E. Marshall Nuckols Jr. ’33, ’35L
In 1942, after practicing law at a firm in Washington, D.C., he joined the Campbell Soup Company. He held several positions there, rising to senior vice president for administrative services, the role from which he retired in 1976. Nuckols was a dedicated alumnus and took his service to the university seriously. He served four years on the Alumni Board, the last year as president. He joined the university’s Board of Trustees in 1969 and served as rector from 1974 to 1981. He also co-chaired the committee for a decade-long capital campaign that concluded in 1981, raising more than $67.5 million.
“THEY NEVER SOUGHT THE LIMELIGHT, BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE.”
ORVILLE DEWEY
In the winter 1974 edition of the W&L Magazine, Marshall thoughtfully answered a series of questions as the newly appointed rector of the board, making his passion for W&L and work to advance its mission clear. In response to a question posed regarding how he could possibly have time to volunteer and serve as W&L’s rector, Marshall responded:
“It has to be because I have a very high regard for Washington and Lee. It means a great deal to me. […] I have rather heavy job demands I have to meet, but to the extent I have additional time and energy I don’t know any place I would rather spend them than on Washington and Lee. It is that important to me.”
Marshall strongly advocated for fellow alumni support, encouraging them to give back to enrich the many opportunities and increasing caliber of academic quality at Washington and Lee. “The primary goal has to be to keep Washington and Lee the outstanding, strong, private educational institution that it is today and to build on its present strengths in every way that we possibly can,” he said in the article. Marshall passed away in 1994.
In 1948, Marshall married Patricia “Pat” Kenworthy, who was a captain of the United States field hockey team (USFHA). At the beginning of World War II, she volunteered with the American Red Cross Motor Corps and became a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), for which she trained Army pilots and flew AT-6s and AT-25s. Following the war, she was a flying instructor, continued her USFHA career on global traveling teams and was a member of the U.S.
women’s national lacrosse team. She met Marshall when he signed up to learn to fly. According to Thurston, she was his flight instructor.
Pat was awarded the WWII American Campaign and Victory medals in 1988, and as a member of the WASP, she received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010. She was also one of the charter inductees into the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame. While living in Vermont, Pat taught skiing at Bromley Mountain Ski Resort and was named one of SKI Magazine’s top 100 ski instructors. She joined the local ice hockey team, the Rusty Blades, at 76, and she was an accomplished skier, golfer and equestrian. Pat passed away in 2022 after a life lived to the fullest — with not a moment wasted resting on laurels — at the age of 100.
The Nuckols family legacy at W&L continues with Pat and Marshall’s grandson Jeff Nuckols ’92 and great-grandson Connor Higgins ’20.
Pat was interviewed in 2010 and said she and Marshall were pleasantly surprised when they learned Jeff would attend W&L.
“The day Jeff graduated was a day for celebration as far as Marshall was concerned for he was so very proud of him,” Pat said.
“My grandfather set an example for me with his career and his leadership at W&L,” Jeff Nuckols says. “Leadership seemed to find him, and he wore those roles of businessman and volunteer well.”
Higgins earned a bachelor of science in biology and minored in philosophy at W&L. He is currently a research associate at ProteoWise, a biotech company founded by scientists from Yale University. Higgins attended the May ceremony honoring his great-grandparents along with Thurston and Dewey.
“I’m so excited to share this experience, not only with other members of our family, but also with the W&L community. Pat and Marshall have touched my life and my family’s lives deeply, and having a chance to celebrate their generosity with the university speaks volumes about who they were,” Higgins says. “They were proud to create a legacy of learning and leadership for future generations and to give back to the school that gave Marshall so much.”
