Ryan Bankert
Class of 2013
It’s funny how life can come full circle. I still remember sitting in the newly constructed Washington College Decker Theater in the summer of 2009. It was summer advising day and I was listening to President Baird Tipson welcome the Class of 2013 to the Washington College community.
Now, as a Financial Analyst for Stanley Black & Decker, I routinely find myself sitting in the Alonzo G. Decker, Jr. conference room at the company’s headquarters in Towson, MD. You got it, the inventor of cordless electric power tools left his mark on the Washington College campus. Thanks to the Decker family, we have the Decker Theater and Decker Laboratory Center.
What drove the Decker family to support a small liberal arts college on the Eastern Shore? Well, as a tool manufacturer, I can imagine it was easy for the Deckers to recognize that a Washington College education provides students with the tools to succeed (see what I did there?).
I can’t argue with their thinking. I honestly feel like my education and experiences at WAC have positioned me for success in the business world. In the classroom, professors encouraged active learning through collaboration and critical thinking. Outside of the classroom, I had the opportunity to lead organizations and teams. Having seen my ability to transition from a Washington College student to a young leader in a Fortune 500 company, I’m inspired to stay active as a WC alumnus and give back to the College that gave me so much.
I choose to donate to Washington College because I want to help deliver an outstanding liberal arts education for future generations of students. I see it as an investment in my own degree. Think about it… The more alumni we have giving back, and doing amazing things all over the world, the stronger the perception of Washington College. That’s something I can be passionate about.
If you share my passion of building an even better Washington College for future generations of students, athletes and innovators then I encourage you to also give back. Every dollar counts when it comes to continuing the legacy of a superb academic institution. Like the Decker family, we can all play a role in shaping the future.
The Share 