Why I Give | Alden Schade ’18
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.
“I hope my support can help create the opportunities and experiences that change students’ lives for the better, as my W&L experience did for me.” – Alden Schade ’18
What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving?
One thing you learn early on at W&L (often on an admissions tour before even matriculating) is that the university owes part of its longevity and durability to transformative gifts and contributions from singular individuals throughout its history: George Washington’s gift of canal stock, Cyrus McCormick, Lettie Pate Evans and, more recently, Rupert Johnson ’62, Richard Duchossois ’44 and Bill Miller ’72. There is no doubt that W&L has reaped tremendous benefits from these benefactors’ staggering generosity. As a student, I was certainly inspired by these figures to continue the legacy of strong alumni support through the senior gift campaign.
What takes more time to recognize, however, is the way that students and alumni support W&L on a daily basis to make it such a special place. Through gifts to the W&L Fund, providing funding for Spring Term travel or welcoming students into workplaces for internships and career development opportunities, these contributions make an impact on an individual basis. In much the same way that nothing happens on campus without student leadership and commitment, alumni leadership and commitment help sustain the unique culture of Washington and Lee that we carry out into the world. Many of W&L’s most significant supporters may not have been motivated to give if not for the strength and vibrance of this culture and community and the individual commitments that provide its staying power year after year. It is in this way I hope to support W&L and contribute to its lasting legacy.
How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students?
When I reflect on my Washington and Lee experience, I am always struck by the freedom I had as a student. If there was something I was interested in, either academically or personally, I always felt that the resources and support to pursue it were at my fingertips. I consider this freedom to explore and learn to be the foundational piece of a rewarding college experience, particularly at a liberal arts institution, and I hope my support can enable the same level of freedom for current and future W&L students. I hope it enables a Spring Term trip that introduces a student to their lifelong passion or supports a research opportunity that is the springboard to a career in medicine or the sciences. In short, I hope my support can help create the opportunities and experiences that change students’ lives for the better, as my W&L experience did for me.
Is there a particular experience, faculty member or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back?
My experience as a geology major and as a member of Kathekon gave me direct exposure to the impact that alumni support has on the day-to-day life of a student. The Geology Department [now the Earth and Environmental Geoscience Department] had access to an amazing breadth of resources to support student research and trips to study in the field, including the Spring Term trips that I know are the highlight of many geo majors’ (including my own) courses of study. My time with Kathekon exposed me to the daily work of the alumni office and the work alumni do to support W&L and each other beyond Lexington. Both experiences opened my eyes to the incredible passion and pride that alumni take in supporting the university and inspired me to do my best to emulate their efforts.
What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence?
I find the naming of W&L’s capital campaign to be timely, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the United States. While a life of consequence is not limited to the creation of an entirely new and untested system of government, the example of this country’s founding is instructive. The people who founded, built and preserved this nation 250 years ago were ordinary people working together to pursue an ideal that was “more perfect” each day than it was the previous. My time at W&L gave shape to what this looks like in practice. Through the Honor System, I learned to hold myself to a higher standard and be worthy of the trust and responsibility that others placed in me. Through the Speaking Tradition, I learned that a smile and a “good morning” are among the best ways to positively impact someone else’s day and that they open the door to other opportunities to serve those around you. Through student self-governance and involvement with various on-campus groups and activities, I learned that in order to create and preserve something I care deeply about, I have to be willing to give in service of something greater than myself. Living a life of consequence is not about the scale of what you accomplish but the commitment and effort you bring to the endeavor. It may not be taught in classrooms generations from now or measured in titles and wealth. But if the people around you were better for having known you, if you thoughtfully contributed to someone else’s life in a lasting and positive way, then you have lived a life of consequence.
Read more from the Why I Give series.
