The Business of Giving Back Alumni from the ’90s and ’00s Make a Collective Impact on Williams School Expansion

Office of Communications
March 5, 2024

“The lessons of W&L remain with me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have learned them as a student and alum.” – Roy Burns ’99

Washington and Lee’s Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics continues to thrive, with about half of all undergraduates majoring in one of its four disciplines. Programs in economics, politics, business administration and accounting are augmented by exceptional opportunities that help students acquire and grow skills that will translate into meaningful careers. Expanding and enhancing the Williams School’s facilities is a priority of the university’s strategic plan, which calls for strengthened interdisciplinary programs like Entrepreneurship as well as increased offerings for non-majors in the Williams School.

“The statistics alone make this a natural priority,” said Ward Davenport ’01, a member of the campaign’s executive leadership committee. Davenport and many fellow alumni who majored within the Williams School have stepped up to make lead gifts supporting a new building on Washington Street.

“Serving on the campaign committee has reinforced for me how committed W&L alumni are to giving back, and it has been great to see that in action,” he said. Davenport is managing director of Pointer Management, where half of the partners are W&L alumni.

Construction on the new building is underway, and many alumni have supported the project.

“Now is the moment to take a step forward,” said Reuben Munger ’95, a member of the campaign council. “There are multiple generations of students who have benefited from the Williams School, and now is the opportunity to help future students benefit in the same way.” Munger triple-majored in the Williams School, earning degrees in politics, economics and business administration. He is the founder and managing partner of Vision Ridge Partners, a sustainable real assets investor.

Roy Burns ’99 and his wife, Emily, made a lead gift and will name the lower level of the new building Burns Bunker.

“This gift is the largest we’ve made to date, and it reflects the importance that W&L had on my life as a scholarship kid from rural Louisiana,” Burns said. “The lessons of W&L remain with me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have learned them as a student and alum.”

When asked about the inspiration behind the name, Burns joked that it sounded better than Burns Basement. “It’s a reminder to not take oneself too seriously, and hopefully the name will bring a smile to a student’s face when they most need it,” he said. Burns is managing director and co-head of North American financial services investing efforts at TA, a private equity firm.

Rob Straughan, Crawford Family Dean of the Williams School and professor of business administration, explained that classroom space has been heavily utilized for the last two decades. It has presented scheduling challenges for faculty and administrators, both in securing appropriate spaces for course instruction and maintaining low student-faculty ratios. Renovating Huntley Hall and constructing a new, modern facility will increase classroom spaces by 50% and offer more multifunctional and collaborative spaces. “These projects will provide 21st-century spaces for what is already a 21st-century program,” Straughan said.

The new building on Washington Street will have a central hub, which will be an open community space. “What excites me most about this project is helping the university provide an enhanced environment for students to further their understanding of business through collaborations with each other and with faculty,” Andy Crawford ’01 said. Managing director and global head of General Atlantic’s consumer sector, Crawford double majored in business administration and accounting at W&L and was a member of the Williams Investment Society.

Davenport agreed, noting that the design better fits the expec­tations of the modern workforce.

“Collaboration is an important part of my job today, and I am glad it is a key feature of the new facility,” he said.

Technology upgrades will also factor into the project. “The ability to access information quickly really leveled the playing field in the business world, and now you gain the edge by how well you can use today’s technology,” Crawford said.

While the needs for the Williams School expansion are clear, the main impetus for this group of alumni to give back was because of the people who helped shape their overall W&L experience, both as students and now as alumni.

The W&L network is alive and well in the Williams School, keeping alumni and students connected through numerous events such as the Entrepreneurship Summit and the Real Estate Forum. This network has helped many graduates launch their careers, but community building occurs well beforehand and continues indefinitely.

“My experience provided me with the opportunity to be around people who made me better,” said Ryan Duffy ’04. “It shaped how I thought about my future and inspired me to figure out what I wanted to do.” Duffy now serves as president of Greater Washington and global partner of Lockton Companies, the world’s largest privately held corporate insurance brokerage firm.

“The culture, the people, the shared values, the ability to con­nect with fellow alumni, to find mentors out in the world — that’s what makes W&L different,” Duffy said. “These are people you have a lifetime connection with, even if you didn’t go to school at the same time.”

Read more about the Leading Lives of Consequence campaign.