Furman Dedicates Benefactors Green to Honor Donors

The mid-morning sun bathed a lawn on the northeast of Furman University’s James B. Duke Library, a cool stillness settled in the air, and Heidi McCrory declared to a crowd of about 75 people that it was “a glorious day to be at Furman.”

Indeed, McCrory, vice president for Development at Furman, and Elizabeth Davis, Furman’s president, were among those in attendance to dedicate Benefactors Green, the curving swath of lawn with 10 newly installed stone towers. The towers, about 8-feet high, list the members of the White Oaks Society, donors who have given $1 million or more. Special bronze markings designate donors who have given $5 million and $10 million.

“This ceremony, and especially the names engraved here, are a timeless reminder of the tremendous impact of philanthropy,” Davis said. “It is with generous support like yours, and through Clearly Furman, our most ambitious campaign to date, that we are boldly entering our third century, meeting our promise to prepare our students to be agents of inspiration, leadership and change in the world.”

Senior Samantha Beeson thanked the donors in the crowd for funding scholarships and other programs that make The Furman Advantage possible. Thanks to stipends to pay student expenses, Beeson completed an internship in Washington, D.C., last summer.

“This internship helped me strengthen my strategic writing, interpersonal communication skills, and, more specifically, problem-solving skills because we know there are a lot of problems that need fixing in Washington, D.C.,” Beeson said, and the crowd laughed.

Davis recognized new members of the White Oak Society, many of whom were at the dedication. The new members are:

• Don ’66 and Betty Anderson
• Tom ’58 and Sherry Atkinson
• Richard ’71 and Agnes Cullen
• Ed ’67 and Peggy Good ’67
• David ’73 and Nancy ’72 Hauser
• John and Stephanie Ingram
• Jamie ’79 and Mary Anne Anderson Lanier ’79
• Ron ’81 and Tammy Malone
• Ruby Morgan and the late Doug MacDonald
• Lydia Morris ’20, and the Morris Family
• Matt ’97 and Megan Schrecengost
• Debbie Southern
• Betty Stall
• Fred ’86 and Lyn Stubblefield
• Peace Sullivan
• Lizanne Thomas ’79

She also recognized White Oaks members who increased their giving level:

• Leighan and David Rinker
• Ravenel Curry ’63
• David ’77 and June Trone
• John ’54 and Jeanette Cothran

The dedication of Benefactors Green was part of Spring Weekend 2024, a series of events designed to engage the Furman community in the intellectual endeavors of students and faculty.