Stories of Consequence
Why I Give is a series that celebrates the generosity of Washington and Lee University alumni, students, faculty 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 value.
The Law School goes above and beyond in terms of providing support for students that enriches the academic experience, prepares stronger practitioners, and radically improves quality of life.
What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University School of Law, and what motivates you to continue giving?
When we were 3Ls, the advancement office asked our class to commit to donate a set dollar amount each year for the first five years after graduation. Both of us received substantial academic scholarships to attend W&L Law, which was a major factor leading to each of us attending. We felt strongly that we wanted to be a small part of the generous scholarships for future generations of law students to come to Lexington, so making the initial commitment was a no-brainer. For M.K., the Admitted Students Weekend was the deciding factor in choosing W&L Law over other law schools. She felt like the school’s investment in prospective students was indicative of W&L Law’s commitment to students during their time in school (and now knows that to be the case). For Will, he knew W&L was special after spending four years on campus as an undergrad and credits his seven years in Rockbridge County with his incredibly strong network of friends made on both sides of Cadaver Bridge. It is our driving motivation that future students benefit from the same generosity as they consider law schools, and we hope that our gifts will play a small part in supporting the best-in-class recruiting and scholarship opportunities we were thankful to receive.
Is there a particular experience, faculty member, or program at W&L Law that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back?
The Law School goes above and beyond in terms of providing support for students that enriches the academic experience, prepares stronger practitioners and radically improves quality of life. Some highlights:
- World class professors, like professors [Brian] Murchison and [Russ] Miller to name a couple who we shared, who guided us through our first year as we learned how to “think like lawyers” and challenged us to dig deeper and think creatively as we continued our studies
- Access to law student-specific services conveniently located in Sydney Lewis Hall (top among them, Jane in the Brief Stop!)
- School‑sponsored law school events that were fun and strengthened connections with friends that continue to this day
- Finally, we met as law students, so we also feel indebted on a personal level, being brought together in such a special place.
How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L Law students?
We couldn't be bigger believers in W&L Law as a program and are both invested in the continued excellence of the law curriculum. We have each had the opportunity to work with W&L law students as summer clerks and recent W&L law graduates in our respective firms. We are consistently impressed with the quality of students coming from Lexington. Not only do we hope that our gift assists with enrolling the best and brightest students but also in enriching the programs that make W&L Law so special and attracting the fantastic faculty and staff who train those students in the practice of law. We recognize that so many of the very best facets of W&L Law are made possible by donations from alumni. We are proud to contribute to a tradition we view at the very crux of what sets W&L Law apart from the rest.
Read more from the Why I Give series.