Paying it forward: Sumner G. Rand Jr. Foundation helps the arts flourish at W&M
In September 2023, the newly renovated and expanded Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall opened with a performance of “Nine,” choreographed by Year of the Arts Professor of Dance, Leah Glenn. The performance explored the story of the “Little Rock Nine,” the students who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957.
“Nine” was one of the many arts initiatives at William & Mary made possible by the Sumner G. Rand Jr. Foundation, which has provided generous funding for performances, equipment, professional development and broader campus engagement since the Foundation’s establishment in 2003.
The Foundation is part of the legacy of Sumner Rand, who passed away in 2002. Rand’s relationship with William & Mary began when he was a student, an experience that was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. He left W&M to join the fighting and endured years of hardship as a prisoner of war in a German forced labor camp. Rand returned to W&M at the conclusion of the war and graduated in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in history.
His experience as a POW shaped his outlook on the meaning of life. Rand developed a determined optimism, intent on finding beauty in life rather than dwelling on the cruelty he endured during the war. That determination found a focus in the power of art to heal, transform and inspire.
Rand enjoyed transformational experiences in the arts. His enthusiasm and interest parlayed into a life-long dedication and ultimately, a career in the arts. After earning a master’s degree in French history from Harvard University, Rand was both a performer and critic in Orlando, Florida, where he worked as a journalist for the Orlando Sentinel for 37 years.
“He was in every way excited to be able to repay the school that he loved by creating a foundation to support the school that shaped his entire life,” said Donald Brown, long-time friend of Rand and a member of the Foundation’s board.
By creating opportunities for the arts to flourish at his alma mater, the Foundation combines Rand’s love of William & Mary and the arts with his belief in “paying it forward.”
“Sumner Rand’s yearly support enables the performing arts at W&M to reach high levels of innovation and excellence on stage and in the classroom,” said Richard Lowry, Vice Dean for Arts, Humanities and Interdisciplinary Programs at William & Mary.
The Foundation’s support ranges across the fields of theatre, dance, music and art and covers a variety of departmental needs. Funds from the Foundation have subsidized everything from new instruments for the music department to new lighting equipment and costumes for the theatre department.
Lowry notes, however, that the Foundation’s most significant contributions have related to enhancing students’ experiences: “With this funding, we have been able to bring in top-notch directors to offer workshops and direct mainstage performances. Faculty have taken students to the Kennedy Center for dance performances and to meet with alumni who have built careers in the arts.”
The Foundation provides substantial opportunities for student professional development by facilitating guest speakers and workshops. And, in concert with the Faculty Grants Fund, it financed the travel costs for faculty and students to attend the Southeastern Theater Conference in Mobile, Alabama, in March 2024.
The Foundation has also given critical support to the first season of William & Mary Presents!, established by the new Executive and Artistic Director of the Arts, Eric Despard. The season features Grammy-winning artists and renowned performers and will expand and enhance the reputation of William & Mary’s new Arts Quarter as a premier venue for the arts with performances, workshops and masterclasses by prominent artists alongside student and faculty programming.
The impact of the Sumner G. Rand Jr. Foundation stretches far beyond the faculty and students within the arts-related departments. By subsidizing student ticket purchases for W&M performances, the entire student body at W&M has access to the enjoyments and benefits of the arts at no cost.
Making an impact for W&M students through the arts is exactly what Rand wanted to accomplish with the Foundation, Brown said: “he wanted his resources to work toward the enrichment of the lives of students, giving them unique and meaningful experiences.”
The future for the arts at William & Mary looks even brighter with the continued support of the Foundation. Having seen the benefits of taking students to professional theater and dance performances, faculty hope to continue these “high impact, even inspirational trips.” Plans for a one-credit course focusing on professional development are also in the works. By inviting guest speakers and creating workshops led by industry professionals, students will be able to engage with all aspects of the profession and confront the changing face of the arts industry.
“Sumner had a burning desire to impact the lives of students at William & Mary because of the impact that William & Mary had on his life,” Brown said. “He would be pleased with all of the projects his foundation has funded, and would delight in knowing that since inception his ‘small’ fund has generated over $1 million in programming and assistance to the arts at W&M.”
With more than twenty years of impact, the Foundation continues to fulfil Rand’s mission to make a difference for students at William & Mary, ensuring that future generations at W&M will, like Sumner Rand, learn how to look for beauty and pay it forward.
