William H. Leighty, who graduated from the liberal arts college in 1978, and his wife, Martha Kearns Leighty, a 1975 graduate of the college in Fredericksburg, created the program so that students from any major may apply. The program will provide a $5,000 stipend and up to six academic credit hours for a semester-long or summer internship.
The Leightys’ $50,000 commitment kicks off fundraising for the endowment. Bill Leighty will also donate proceeds from his recently published book, Capitol Secrets: Leadership Wisdom From a Lifetime of Public Service.
Bill Leighty served two Virginia governors as chief of staff. Marti Leighty is a professor emerita at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond. They visited UMW campus for an introduction of the program on April 13, which included a panel discussion with alumni who serve at local and state levels.
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, who both represent districts in Virginia, sent video greetings to a gala reception in the ballroom of UMW’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center. Warner served Virginia as governor from 2002 to 2006, and was governor when Bill Leighty persuaded Tom Hanks to film the miniseries “John Adams” in Virginia.
“I’m glad Bill didn’t share all of the secrets [in his book],” Warner said, adding, “Bill was the glue that kept our administration together … Your book is a great story of your growth and Virginia’s growth.”
In 2007, Tim Kaine was governor of Virginia when Leighty worked with Buckingham Palace on details for the late Queen Elizabeth to visit Virginia for the 400th anniversary of Jamestown’s founding.
Kaine noted that Leighty “had an instinct about the right thing to do, and also had the relationships to pull things together.” Leighty’s book “is a primer for anybody who wants to be in public life.”
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Rebecca Barnabi
