Stories of Consequence

Introducing Why I Give—a new series celebrating the generosity of Washington and Lee University alumni and parents. Discover the many reasons the W&L community supports Leading Lives of Consequence: The Campaign for Washington and Lee and how philanthropy shapes the university’s future while honoring its enduring values.

W&L pushed us in ways we couldn’t have expected and allowed us to prove to ourselves that we could be — and maybe had to be — leaders in our communities.

What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee, and what motivates you to continue giving?

We were both inspired to give our first gift to W&L by Julia’s dad and alumnus, Bob Woodward ’71, who has long emphasized the importance of stewarding the educational and experiential gifts afforded to us for the next generation. Bob led by example, showing us the importance of giving back to your communities in whatever capacity you can as a form of gratitude, humility and leadership. In the years that have passed since our graduations, we have come to recognize the unique opportunity W&L provided us to grow academically, socially and otherwise, while surrounded by peers who constantly but lovingly challenged us to be our best. W&L pushed us in ways we couldn’t have expected and allowed us to prove to ourselves that we could be — and maybe had to be — leaders in our communities.

How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students?

We know that W&L uses our gifts to provide similar or better opportunities and offerings to the current generation, instilling in them the same values of integrity, empathy, honesty, compassion and diligence as it did ours. We want to support current and future W&L students with the goal that they will become the next group of leaders in their communities.

Is there a particular experience, faculty member or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back?

We both had faculty advisers who nurtured us and challenged us to succeed as scholars in ways we never imagined. Carlos was advised by Dr. Henry Porter, who welcomed Carlos to the community with a caring, eight-page handwritten letter before he enrolled and continued to inspire his interest in historical scholarship for years to come. Julia worked closely with Dr. Pamela Simpson, who encouraged her to write an honors thesis and sparked interests in modern art and women artists that Julia carries with her today.