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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 under-graduate and law, participate in the organization each year.