“Give until it feels good, and I can say that it does feel good to know that you've helped. And it feels especially good at Sewanee because of the appreciation of so many of the people who are positively impacted by Sewanee’s excellent stewardship of their gifts.”
When Dessie Moxley’s grandson, Stewart, decided to include Sewanee in his college search, she had never heard of it. When he enrolled in the fall of 2020, she had never set foot on campus. Now, Moxley makes her way from her home in Maryland to the Mountain to visit her grandson, currently a junior, as often as she is able. She sees Sewanee all over the place, from conversations with Episcopal friends who remark on Sewanee’s beauty to serendipitous run-ins with Sewanee alumni who recognize her bumper sticker.
Moxley admits that she is charmed by Sewanee’s setting and values. She recalls that Stewart took her to the Cross on a recent visit and told her, “We come out here for my writing class sometimes and the instructor has us write a composition." Moxley remembers thinking, “how wonderful. How much better it must be to inspire the mind to be able to be outdoors and have the scenery to inspire you to write rather than just being in the classroom and looking at that lined sheet of paper.”
Moxley describes herself as “the kind of mother who always made sure everyone had plenty to eat.” That’s why, when she learned of an extraordinary need for Sewanee’s varsity athletes, of which her grandson is one, she was interested in helping solve the problem. Sewanee has a large population of varsity athletes—550, or around 30% of the student body. Often, these student-athletes struggle to make it to McClurg, the campus dining hall, for meals due to their busy practice and class schedules.
Robert Black, C’89 and Associate Vice President for Athletics Major Gifts, proposed the idea of a new fueling station in the Fowler Center, part of a larger project to renovate and rebrand Sewanee’s athletic center. This space, now operational thanks to a generous gift from Moxley, will allow coaches to pre-order dinner for their team to refuel after practices (there are ovens which accommodate fare such as lasagna) or athletes to grab a meal while on the go, all at no cost to the students. Black said of Moxley’s contribution, “This gift is a game changer for all of our student-athletes, and it will also be a significant boost to our recruiting efforts, as very few Division III colleges have such a facility at no cost to the athlete. The Moxley family has made a remarkable impact!" Debbie Vaughn, Vice President for University Relations, adds, "Dessie and her family are shining examples of putting philanthropy in action to solve issues and make an impact on our students' lives.”
Moxley is thrilled to hear about the positive reception the fueling station is receiving on campus, but she waves away too much fanfare about her philanthropic efforts. “When you get to this age, there isn't really anything you need for yourself, so you start giving for others to enjoy,” she says. “It's nice to be able to share it and wonderful to know that it’s really filling a need. I'm so thankful that Stewart and the family were able to introduce me to this special place that I can in turn help sustain.”
