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We are thankful for those who have made an estate gift to Davidson College. Here are their stories.

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The Davidson Legacy of Albert Keiser ’66

Albert Keiser Jr. ’66, who was a scholar of historic preservation, North Carolina pottery, folk art and Catawba County history and genealogy, built a career as a private investor. A man of broad interests and expertise, his various endeavors benefited from Keiser’s keen ability to think—a skill he honed at Davidson.

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Navigating Davidson’s Future With a Firm Financial Foundation

As a student, Peter Beard ’83 never questioned whether Davidson was the right place for him. As an alum, he never questions whether it’s worthy of his support. The answer to both is a clear “yes.”

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Davidson Summer Experience Inspires 36-Year Career

Experiential learning opportunities often lead to “ah-ha” moments for Davidson students. For George Cretekos ’69, that moment came through the college’s Washington Semester Program.

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Amazing Davidson Students Prompt Former College Employee to Give Back

Lisa Smith spent 15 years working as part of Davidson’s then-named Information Technology Services and another eight years at E.H. Little Library. The highlight of both positions and all 23 years: Davidson students.

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Scholar-Athletes Score Big With Former Basketball Player’s Gift

Cecil Clifton ’68 always loved Davidson: from the moment he was offered a basketball scholarship by Head Coach Lefty Driesell to when he found himself moving from Georgia to North Carolina and playing for two years, closing out his time on the team with the college’s first conference tournament win and inaugural trip to the NCAA Tournament.

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Fielding a Future

“Athletics Done Right - The Next Step,” the athletics facilities project launched by the college in the fall, has inspired alums, families and friends to support the future of Division I athletics at Davidson College through outright and planned gifts.

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A World-Class Education and Broadened Horizons

Davidson College taught Caroline Rourk ’83 many things. She learned how fulfilling it was to be with people from different backgrounds. She learned critical-thinking skills.

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Give and Take

As the Rev. Joel Keys and his wife, Mary Beth, considered the many ways they could choose to give their resources to help others, the “sacrificial giving” approach appealed most to them.

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Davidson Through and Through

Jim and Peen Hardy welcomed their second grandson into the Davidson family fold this fall. He is part of the third generation of Hardys to become a Wildcat—his brother is a junior—and with each new experience comes new memories.

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Providing a Path to Lifelong Learning

When you work on a college campus for half a century the way Hansford Epes ’61 did, you learn the kinds of students who inspire you most. For him, it’s those who “light the fire” in a classroom.

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A Change-Maker for the World

Creating is the name of the game for Ann Tutwiler ’80. Before she came to Davidson, there was no international studies concentration. She and other political science majors worked with Prof. Lou Ortmayer to build the case for the Dean Rusk Program.

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Perpetuating the Lessons of Service

“This scholarship speaks to me,” says Virgil Fludd ’80. “It is me. Some students need an extra boost, and I’m in a position to help. My goodness, why would I not do that?”

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His Support Keeps the Ball Rolling

When the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds organizations wanted C.K. Rust ’63 to consider playing ball for them after high school, C.K.’s mother, a longtime school administrator, insisted on education.

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A Visionary Force for Art and Davidson

Joan Huntley never had a Davidson diploma with her name on it hanging in the home she shared with her husband, Bob, Class of 1947, but she enthusiastically adopted the college as her own.

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Inspired by Students, Committed to Education

Ed Kizer '61 chose Davidson in 1957 after being inspired by well-respected community leaders—Davidson alumni—in his hometown of Asheboro, North Carolina.

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Water Fights, Mr. Cat and Scholarships

Bill Reed '76 has memories from college that could bring any listener to tears from laughter. Today, he’s making sure more students—student athletes, in particular—have the opportunity to come to Davidson and create their own memories.

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An Olympian, Prepared for Anything

Caroline Queen may be an Olympic kayaker, and she may spend her days doing business development work for Ritz-Carlton, but she is first and foremost a Davidsonian from the class of 2014.

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A World of Discovery

“Bob and Susan Smith may be common names, but they are far from common in their selflessness and generosity.” These are the words of Flaviu Simihaian ’08, a man who met a very special family during a Rotary International trip.

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An Amazing Foundation

Melinda Dennis ’87 explains why she gives back to Davidson, most recently in the form of a planned gift, in the simplest of terms. “Really, why wouldn’t I?” she said. She believes in tradition and generations and family.

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Lessons, Leaders and a Legacy

Dr. William (Bill) Crouch ’61 left high school a year early, realizing that going into medicine involved a lot of school and he wanted a head start. My dad went to Clemson where I was always going until I got accepted to Davidson.

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Honoring Accomplishment and Family through Scholarships

Twenty-six alumni call themselves Bethea Scholars, and as such, they are forever associated with a name and a family that has deep Davidson roots. The scholarship was made possible through a bequest given by Andrew Bethea ’31, who died in 1974.

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Give Now, Give Later

Gene Adcock '62 was told upon admission to Davidson that he would be lucky if he graduated with a C+ average. After earning straight ‘A's his first year, the Henderson, N.C., native.

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A Privilege to Give

It's a good thing Pete Ashcraft '57 wasn't applying himself fully as a teenager, for otherwise, he may never have found Davidson. Before his junior year in high school.

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A Legacy of Lifelong Learning

During his time at Davidson, Joe Logan '77, a member of one of the first co-ed classes on campus, says the message of giving back was regularly taught and shared. Whether through time or money, he always knew he would want to remain involved.

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Art and Pepper

Jim Pepper '65 wasn't an A+ student. He viewed Davidson as his laboratory where he learned to deal with different kinds of people and enjoy them all along the way.

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Taking Care of Davidson

For Olivia Ware '78, giving is about staying connected. Whether it's political or art or social causes, she wants to help the people and places that matter most to her. Giving to Davidson College, she says, is a way to support many things she cares about.

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Believing in a Freedom to Fail

When Maria Patterson '79 moved onto her freshman hall at Davidson, it wasn't the start of the best four years of her life. In fact, she spent the first two years telling all her friends and classmates how she planned to transfer.

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Changing Lives, Present and Future

Davidson College alumni often point to specific experiences during their time on campus and describe them as life changing. Maybe a professor encouraged them to think in an innovative way.

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An Investment in Potential

If you ask Elena Paul '85 why she loves Davidson College, she talks about the institution's commitment to ideas and service—two things that have followed her throughout her life and her career.

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Committing Early to a Lasting Impact

When the term "planned giving" is used, it's often thought of as something more seasoned alumni do…a later-in-life decision to include Davidson in estate plans and to think about a forever legacy on campus. Nowadays, the timeline is changing.

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Love, Marriage, Davidson

Lorinna Lowrance—often seen wearing red with a large, silver Wildcat pendant around her neck@[—]married a Davidson man.

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The Ultimate Student

Some people are born to learn and born to teach. These people often march to the beat of their own drummer. They leave an impression that is not soon forgotten. That was certainly the case for Edward E. "Scotty" Wilson, class of 1959.

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Forever Impact for Student Athletes

The late Ralph '40 and Vivian Monger gave generously to Davidson College through financial contributions and through volunteering. Ralph was involved in multiple Reunions for his class and served on the Board of Visitors.

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