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.

"When you're a student, you're so busy, and it’s really important to be able to immerse yourself in that experience without the stress of how you're going to support yourself financially." - Will Webster '20

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

I left W&L with a lot of love and a lot of enthusiasm for the school. After graduating, I realized how special the opportunity to come here was. I think one of the great things about W&L is it offers you the chance to learn something you're really interested in through the liberal arts education, while also creating a strong foundation. You create such strong connections through your shared experiences here. I wanted to give back and say thank you and also enable that same feeling for future students.

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

I had an amazing time at W&L. I learned so much and made such impactful friendships. When you're a student, you're so busy, and it’s really important to be able to immerse yourself in that experience without the stress of how you're going to support yourself financially. To me, it makes a lot of sense to try to alleviate this as a burden for students. Even though you feel like you had the perfect experience as a student, there's always things that that can be improved. So, enabling that is definitely worthwhile.

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

I was originally going to be a business major, but I had a Spanish professor, Ellen Mayock, Ernest Williams II Professor of Romance Languages, who was so captivating and caring. Being in her classroom was such an immersive experience that I switched my major to continue taking her classes. That decision opened so many doors for me after graduating and changed my life experience so deeply.

Watch Will Webster’s video interview.

Read more from the Why I Give series.