Why I Give | Molly ’10 and Matt ’09 Craycraft
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.
“W&L provided us with so many amazing opportunities, and we wanted to show our appreciation by utilizing our time, talents and treasure to the benefit of the school and its students.” – Molly ’10 and Matt ’09 Craycraft
What inspired you to make your first gift to Washington and Lee University, and what motivates you to continue giving?
It is important to us to be active, contributing alumni, so we made our first gifts to W&L immediately after graduation as a way to stay connected to the school. W&L provided us with so many amazing opportunities, and we wanted to show our appreciation by utilizing our time, talents and treasure to the benefit of the school and its students.
How do you hope your support impacts current and future generations of W&L students?
Academic institutions must constantly evolve to provide students with the best academic experience possible and set them up for future success post-grad. We want our support to help students have the most remarkable college experience and develop the knowledge and skills to be impactful W&L alumni.
Is there a particular experience, faculty member, or program at W&L that played a meaningful role in your decision to give back?
Matt and I met in 2008 while both working in the University Store (“the bookstore”). The bookstore is one of the hubs on campus where we could serve as a face of the university and interact with current students buying blue books for exams, parents visiting for a crisp fall Parents and Family Weekend, alumni back for a lovely spring Alumni Weekend and, of course, prospective students visiting W&L for the first time. These memories led to our desire to constantly support the school and its mission and recruit the next generation of students to join the W&L family.
What does it mean to you to lead a life of consequence?
Leading a life of consequence means acting with character in all aspects of our lives while also having an eye toward the future and ensuring the future success of the school. We do not take being W&L alumni for granted, and we live to uphold this honor every day.
Read more from the Why I Give series.
