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 people who were at W&L before me and their generosity allowed me to be a student here. So, it's me paying it forward.” - Cynthia Cheatham ’07

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

My first gift was $20.07 because I'm the Class of 2007, and our senior class was encouraging us to donate. And I said, “OK, I'm going to make a fun gift of exactly $20.07 to make a statement for the Class of 2007.” The people who were at W&L before me and their generosity allowed me to be a student here. So, it's me paying it forward.

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

You can't necessarily see the generational impact of your gift when you make it. You're not thinking about capitalized gains over the course of the term, but interest works. So, if you're able to make a gift, you don't realize how much impact it's going to have in the future.

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

I've always believed in service learning; that was embedded in me before I came to W&L. There are a number of people who were impactful, but one who's not a professor — but still very much involved with W&L — is Harlan Beckley, the founder of the Shepherd Poverty Program. I think about the different issues around human capability, poverty and social impact that remain important in that program and how the Shepherd Program has grown in the past 20 years.

Read more from the Why I Give series.