Personal Philosophy

It was 1984 and Harriett Pittard Beales’ 50th Class Reunion. She was being inducted into the William & Mary Alumni Association’s Olde Guarde and her sons wanted to do something special.

As William & Mary grads themselves, Walter R. Beales III ’66 and Randolph A. Beales ’82 established a scholarship to honor their mother — a very special woman and member of the Class of 1934. She was a home economics major who chaired the Honor Council, served as vice president of the Women’s Student Government and was crowned May Queen as a senior. Like her sons, she loved William & Mary and had long had an interest in helping and mentoring young people.

Now 30 years after its creation, the Harriett Pittard Beales Scholarship has opened a world of opportunity for a total of about 20 students from Southern Virginia. As one of many privately endowed scholarships at the College, the Beales Scholarship demonstrates the impact personal philanthropy can have on an individual, a family, a community and the university.

“We wanted to honor Mother and, knowing her desire to help young people, we wanted her to meet the recipients of her scholarship and to be able to know as many of them as possible,” said Walter Beales.

Beales is an attorney in Boydton, Va. His brother, Randolph, is a judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals and a former Virginia attorney general. The family has a deep and rich heritage in the South Central region of the state.
“We wanted more Southern Virginia students to consider going to William & Mary,” Beales said. “The scholarship is a way to help make that vision a reality for outstanding students.”

Beales Scholars are selected based on academic performance, extracurricular community activities and service, outstanding character and other personal achievements. Students from the city of Emporia and 12 counties in Southern Virginia are considered for the award once they have been admitted to William & Mary.

Potential recipients are identified by the Office of Admission. Finalists are interviewed by alumni from the region. The Beales family usually meets the scholar upon selection or during their first year at William & Mary. It’s a tradition Mrs. Beales’ sons have continued, even after her death in August 2013, shortly after her 100th birthday.
“We have an interest in their success and how their lives are evolving,” Beales said of the student recipients of the scholarship. “In many cases, this has led to a relationship that has continued long after graduation. We treasure the relationships that have developed.”

When the family conceived the idea of establishing a scholarship, Randolph was still a student in law school and Walter was practicing law in another state. “Most of the scholarships we heard about at William & Mary were large gifts from wealthy people. We didn’t have that kind of money,” Beales said. “But when we contacted the College, they said they were interested and we set it up.”

The brothers’ initial funding occurred in steps, and initially didn’t generate enough to award a scholarship in the first several years. But with continued yearly donations from them and steady growth of the endowment, merit-based scholarships to an entering freshman soon took place.

The family keeps up with many of the Beales Scholars, who have contributed significantly to their communities as they establish lives and families of their own.

“The first scholar, who was also the first from her family to attend college, went on to earn a doctorate. She and her husband live in Northern Virginia, and she remains in touch with us,” Beales said. “Another works in the office of a U.S. senator on Capitol Hill. Another is in law school at William & Mary. His goal is to practice law in his South Central Virginia hometown.”

The scholarship has had as much of an impact on the Beales family as it has on the young scholars who have received it.
“It makes you feel like you’re doing something meaningful to enable such bright, intelligent students like these to go to college,” Beales said.

The family hopes that what they’ve established will have a ripple effect.

“Maybe other alumni and friends who don’t have vast resources, but who want to give back to William & Mary for succeeding generations, can use this model,” Beales said. “Scholarships attract excellent students, and make coming to William & Mary not only attractive, but attainable for some students who might not otherwise consider attending.”