A new scholarship named for a philanthropic alumni couple will support first-generation college students from Southside Virginia — more specifically, students from the counties of Greensville, Southampton, Brunswick, and Mecklenburg.
The Barbara and Thomas Walker Family Scholarship Fund was created in March with a $25,000 estate gift received by the University of Lynchburg in 2024.
Dr. Thomas Walker ’53, ’19 DHL and Barbara Jones Walker ’54 were both first-generation college students. He was a native of Mecklenburg County and she a native of Richmond. They spent much of their 67-year-marriage in Emporia, Virginia, which is located in the southern part of the state.
Thomas Walker, who died in 2023, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Lynchburg College. He attended the Medical College of Virginia and then practiced medicine for more than 54 years, mostly in Emporia, Virginia.
Over his lifetime, Thomas Walker donated more than $650,000 to Lynchburg. The Walker Human Performance Laboratory, located in Turner Gymnasium, is named for him.
He was a member of Lynchburg’s board of overseers from 1985-95 and a member of its board of trustees from 1995-2008. In 1977, he received Lynchburg’s T. Gibson Hobbs Award, which recognizes alumni who provide exceptional service to church, community, and alma mater.
Barbara Jones Walker, died in 2022. She was a religion-education major at Lynchburg and valedictorian of the Class of 1954. The mother of three children, she was active in church and community service and received the T. Gibson Hobbs award in 2002.
The Walkers established the Susan Lynn Walker Scholarship in 2009, in honor of their daughter, Susan Walker Holliday ’83. They were members of the Hopwood and Founders societies and served on the alumni association board.
Gene Frantz ’71, ’76 MEd, former vice president for external affairs at Lynchburg, described the Walkers as “wonderful people” and “salt of the earth.” He said they were “class agents,” writing letters to prospective donors from their respective classes.
“They were given 10-25 classmates’ names and addresses, and they would write a letter, asking them to support their class,” Frantz said. “Both of them did that for a long period of time. They really believed in that.
“And Tom was the chairman of the President’s Club, our highest gift club at the time. He was given names of people that were considered possibilities of giving $1,000 or more, and he would write letters to them, asking them to consider giving.
“He was very active for the first 20-25 years that we did that kind of thing for the annual fund. … I just think they were wonderful people. They loved Lynchburg College. They were very supportive of the College.”
The Office of Financial Aid awards funds and scholarships based on fund criteria. You do not need to apply separately for this or any other scholarships when applying for admission to the University of Lynchburg.
For more information on how to make a planned gift to the University, please contact Shawn Wood, associate vice president of advancement, at [email protected] or 434.544.8450.
