COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN Challenge revs up competitive spirit of ’90s graduates In conjunction with their upcoming April reunion, all 1990s graduates are encouraged to get their game on and bring their competitive spirits to the Decade of ’90s Challenge. The Office of Annual Giving is asking alumni in each class to make a gift to the Longwood Fund.The class with the highest participation rate will be recognized at the April 19-20 reunion. Most importantly, your class will receive bragging rights as the Decade of the ’90s Challenge winner! The amount of your gift is not important. Representing your class—and having an impact on the lives of current and future Longwood students—is what counts. Gifts of any amount will increase your class giving participation rate. Make a gift to the ’90s Challenge by April 9, 2013, online at www.longwood.edu/makeagift or contact the Office of Annual Giving for a donation card. For more information about the ’90s Challenge, contact the Office of Annual Giving at annualgiving@longwood.edu or 800-281-4677, extension 3. You can also join the Decade of the ’90s Challenge on the Office of Annual Giving Facebook page.
New scholarships established Several new scholarships have recently been established as part of the comprehensive campaign to help deserving students afford the cost of a Longwood education. Anyone who is interested in establishing a scholarship should contact University Advancement at 800-281-4677, extension 3. ElmonT. and Pamela Burnside Gray Memorial Scholarship Mildred Davis House ’37 Scholarship Lacy W. and Audrey C. Powell Honors Scholarship Dr. William “Bill” D. Stuart Scholarship Dr. Martha E. Cook Scholarship Linda Pritchard Smith ’67 and Richard F. Smith Music Scholarship
10 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
The Natural Retired professor finds success in second ‘career’ as a fundraiser Wayne Tinnell was raised by a single mother who worked in an elementary-school cafeteria for many years. “She sacrificed everything to make sure I got an education,” said Tinnell, who taught biology at Longwood for 30 years before retiring in 1999. In what has become almost a second career, Tinnell is working hard to ensure that Longwood students, especially those in biology, have a chance to attend college. Tinnell has accompanied H. Franklin Grant, associate vice president for university advancement, on about a dozen fundraising trips, most recently a weeklong trip in August
WayneTinnell (left) and Franklin Grant traveled to Montana to raise money for Longwood.
which I could not study and still get a C! I was a lackluster student in high school; I did more fishing than studying. I came from a family of blue-collar workers who always told
‘ I don’t mind asking people for money. It’s something I believe in.’ — Dr. Wayne Tinnell 2012 to visit three alumni in Kalispell, Mont. me to get an education so I wouldn’t have to work like a dog all my life.” Other fundraising trips have been to North The offer to travel to Montana gave Tinnell Carolina and throughout Virginia. a chance to spend some quality time with what “I don’t mind asking people for money. It’s something I believe in,” said Tinnell, who is still his favorite leisure activity —fishing — after taking care of business with potential donors. primarily meets with his former students on “Bringing in someone like Wayne on a visit the trips. Tinnell’s name is synonymous with scholar- makes it much more personal—it’s not just some development guy in a suit,” said Grant. ships. He created a scholarship honoring his wife, who taught English at Longwood for 30 “ He is an example of someone who not only financially supports Longwood in a significant years, and his late mother, and three scholarway but is willing to give of his time to visit ships—two of which bear his name—have been created by former students. Tinnell even people and make requests.” Interestingly, the three alumni Tinnell and talked his dentist into creating a biology Grant visited in Montana didn’t know each scholarship. other before moving there from the East but “Dr. Tinnell’s first remark upon hearing ended up attending the same church, where about a potential donor is almost always, ‘ Do you think they would like to establish they met. “One of the joys of serving on the [Longa scholarship in biology?’” said Grant. “He is wood University] Foundation Board is that the epitome of a scholar and a gentleman. you get to meet some wonderful alumni who His keen wit and charming smile make him have a deep, continuing love for Longwood a natural fundraiser.” and the friends they met here,” said Tinnell, Tinnell was a natural in his first career— who has served on the board since 2005. biology—as well. —Kent Booty “In high school, it was the only class in