Black & Gold Loyalty Society
Loyalty matters
Loyal donors like you are the cornerstone of VCU’s success, providing the means by which the university can carry out its mission of excelling as a premier public research university focused on academic success, community engagement, research and scholarly productivity.
The Black & Gold Loyalty Society honors donors and their spouses/partners who have made gifts to VCU for three or more consecutive years — from our newest members, who are just beginning their lifelong commitment to annual giving, to our longtime supporters, like Patty Wilkerson (B.S.’77/H&S) and her husband, William Wilkerson Jr., (pictured above left and right), who have given to the university for more than 15 consecutive years.
The Wilkersons established the Walters-Wilkerson Memorial Gerontology Scholarship in the VCU College of Health Professions (alongside a second in the School of Social Work) in memory of their parents and their struggles with aging. The couple have contributed to both scholarships ever since. They give to expand their scholarships, to honor their parents, to recognize those who have helped them, to advance elder care and to help students like Alexa van Aartrijk (M.S.’19/HP) persist through graduation.
Van Aartrijk (pictured above, center) was struggling to find a direction in college until she discovered her passion for gerontology while volunteering at an assisted living facility. Funding from the Walters-Wilkerson Memorial Gerontology Scholarship gave her the resources to pursue her calling at VCU, enabling her to spend more of her time outside of class volunteering with organizations that serve older adults.
Gifts of any amount to any area of the university are counted toward society inclusion. Consecutive years of giving are counted by fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30.