For several years, Bill Alden ’42 inspired young alumni to emulate his philanthropic spirit. The Bill Alden ’42 Challenge encouraged young alumni who hadn’t yet contributed to participate in the Amici Fund.
Mr. Alden, who died in April at one hundred years old, was Woodberry’s oldest living donor. Before his death, he issued a challenge to alumni in the classes of 2014 through 2023, offering to contribute $1,000 for each participation benchmark the class reached. In addition, he offered $1,000 if a class set its participation record and $1,000 if it set its dollar record.
As a result of the challenge, young alumni participation doubled in the last two months of the fiscal year, and six of the ten classes set at least one record. Consequently, Mr. Alden gave a generous $25,000 gift.
Mr. Alden believed that Woodberry saved his life. He had been, in his words, “a disaster” before coming to the Forest and says that Woodberry developed him into a leader. He served as a prefect, senior warden of the chapel council, and captain of the golf team. During his career, he was an investment manager in Louisville, first at his father’s firm, Alden & Co., then at Hilliard Lyons. He was proud that his son, Bill Alden ’72, is also an alumnus.