“If something is meaningful to you or meaningful to your family—whether it’s an athletic or an arts or an academic program—that’s something worth your support.”
with their son, Brock, C’25.
Marty and Kristin Middendorf, P’25, have been involved with athletics for as long as they can remember. Growing up with 13 siblings, Marty notes that his family “played pretty much every sport you could play.” He and his three eldest brothers primarily devoted themselves to hockey, though Marty also got involved with baseball and soccer. His fourth brother “played football in high school and got a scholarship,” he says. “We were just athletic kids—that’s how it was.”
“It was the same for my side of the family,” Kristin shares, noting that her dad was a college athlete. When the Middendorfs’ children, Brock, C’25, and Kayla, were together at Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, NC, Kristin served as booster club president. The Middendorfs also participated in a capital campaign aimed at launching Charlotte Latin’s workout facility. “Our philanthropy started with that school,” Kristin says.
In 2019, when Brock was a high school junior, he was contacted by Nick DiBernardo, Sewanee’s Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach and Assistant Facilities Director, about exploring the University’s lacrosse program. Marty and Kristin fondly recall scoping out the campus with Brock in June 2020. Although COVID restrictions prevented them from entering any buildings, “We peeked in the windows,” Marty says. “It was the most beautiful day,” Kristin adds. “No humidity. Bright blue skies. It couldn’t have been more perfect.”
During the summer before Brock’s senior year, DiBernardo offered him a spot on the lacrosse team. The Middendorfs were already familiar with Sewanee through personal connections—one of Kristin’s close friends is a Sewanee graduate, as is Charlotte Latin’s Head of Upper School, Lawrence Wall, Jr., C’85. “Sewanee definitely is well known in the Charlotte community and at Charlotte Latin,” Kristin says. On Brock’s birthday in August, he called DiBernardo and committed to enrolling on the Mountain.
As Marty and Kristin describe, Sewanee has been a natural fit for the whole family. “We just love it up here,” Kristin shares. She notes that Brock is leaning toward a major in environmental science and adds that there’s “no better place” to study that subject than the Mountain. “For class, he gets to go outside and walk the trails and see rock formations and waterfalls,” Marty says. “I’m like, ‘You get to do that in school?’”
Lacrosse games bring the Middendorfs to Sewanee frequently, and, Kristin says, have introduced them to “amazing families.” As Kristin and Marty were considering options for giving to the University, they gravitated toward supporting Sewanee Athletics. In April 2022, they met with John Shackelford, Director of Athletics, who gave them a tour of the Fowler Center and shared the University’s plans for significant facility enhancements.
In speaking with Shackelford, Kristin says she and Marty were impressed by the University’s plan to reshape Fowler, which serves as the front porch of Sewanee Athletics. They also appreciate the fact that Sewanee’s athletic programs serve more than a third of the student body. “We feel blessed that we can make contributions,” Kristin says.
The Middendorfs see the Fowler Center’s updates as benefiting the entire Sewanee community. “It’s good to have an athletic facility that really supports not only the athletes but also visiting teams and parents,” Kristin notes. Planned changes to the building include replacement of track and flooring; expansion of Fowler’s weight rooms and athletic training rooms; the addition of office and visitor space; and a state-of-the-art film room. Major transformation of Fowler’s branding elements is already underway, with the installation of a three-dimensional Sewanee “S” logo in the front lobby.
“It’s exciting to be part of something that students will see when they come to school here,” Kristin says. Marty adds that improved branding will help with recruiting. “Sewanee lacrosse is really competitive,” he notes, “as are the golf, tennis, and basketball teams, among others. You always want to keep that ball rolling and keep things going well.”
Like athletics, philanthropy is a longstanding tradition in the Middendorf family. “Our parents raised us to give back—it’s second nature,” Marty says. Kristin shares that it’s “joyful” to see the results of charitable investments. She also points out that philanthropy can have special meaning at academic institutions. “Tuition covers students’ day-to-day expenses, but those funds aren’t necessarily part of what evolves a school or a program,” she says. “Change and growth require a donor community.”
Advancement Officer John Whaling, C’07, who worked closely with the Middendorfs on their gift, describes their perspective on giving as refreshing. “Kristin and Marty are clearly committed not only to enhancing Sewanee athletics for current students, but also to shaping and strengthening the program for future generations of student-athletes,” he says. Deborah S. Vaughn, P’20, Vice President for University Relations, adds, “When you talk about philanthropy having a tangible impact, the Middendorf family’s generosity is a great example. It is quite literally transforming the ground beneath our athletes’ feet.”
For her part, Kristin says the family’s decision to give to Sewanee was straightforward. “Sewanee is obviously bringing a lot of joy to our son and to our family,” she shares. “If something is meaningful to you or meaningful to your family—whether it’s an athletic or an arts or an academic program—that’s something worth your support.”
