William Lumpkin is the living embodiment of the saying, “Remember where you come from.” A successful sales and marketing executive based in Houston, Texas, William credits the support and encouragement he received as a standout athlete, class president and one of the top graduates of the Trotwood-Madison High School Class of 2001, for the successes he’s enjoyed in life.

“I greatly benefited from family, lifelong friends and coaches who believed in and supported me in every step of my life journey,” Lumpkin said. “It’s important for me to give something back to the community where I grew up.”

This desire to give back is rooted in his earliest memories of giving. His parents, Sandra and Floyd Lumpkin, and aunt and uncle, Hortense and John Lumpkin, Sr., were among his strongest supporters in his pursuit of furthering his education and playing football. This support, along with his hard work and determination, led him to Indiana University on a football scholarship, where he achieved Academic All-Big Ten Team honors four times and served as senior team captain. After graduating from IU with a finance degree, he earned his MBA in 2012 from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Lumpkin’s mother, in particular, had a big impact on his desire to help others. It’s a philosophy he and his wife, Layla Lumpkin, hope to carry on with their three children and through a scholarship fund he established in 2019 through the African-American Community Fund of The Dayton Foundation.

“My mom is the most giving person I know. She regularly serves food, has spent time helping Afghan refugees and literally has given several of our living room couches away. Through her, I learned giving is a privilege and brings joy,” Lumpkin said. “I believe we are called to grow in generosity as we grow in wealth. My wife and I committed to gifting a portion of our income before we got married and have been blessed beyond our imaginations.”

He learned about AACF from Calvin Heard and his cousin, John Lumpkin, Jr., both of whom are former board members. He feels it “provides a great platform, has broad reach and makes giving seamless. I’m happy to avoid all the marketing, compliance requirements and other logistics that would come up if I managed the scholarship on my own. I also appreciate the opportunity to bring some of my childhood friends together to serve as reviewers.”

The William A. Lumpkin Endowed Scholarship awards annual scholarships to assist Dayton Public Schools or Trotwood-Madison City Schools graduates, including Devin Lawrence who currently is studying middle childhood education at Wright State University, with a focus in math and science.

“I am so thankful for receiving this scholarship. Now I can graduate debt-free and put my efforts into becoming the best teacher I can be,” said Devin Lawrence, who will graduate in the spring. “It means that people saw potential in me and wanted me to achieve my dreams. I want to give back to those in my community who believe I can make a difference.”

Lawrence hopes to make an impact in Dayton Public Schools, the school district he grew up attending, by securing a job after graduation to teach eighth grade science at his alma mater, Stivers School for the Arts. He plans to earn his master’s degree and to hopefully start an after-school STEM program for minority students in urban school districts.

William Lumpkin is happy to support individuals like Devin Lawrence through his fund, just as he was lifted up throughout his formative education years. He feels that his academic, athletic and leadership experiences were key to his development and in building his confidence to explore the world.

“People should be encouraged to dream, craft a plan and take action. Financial barriers limit our young and talented from developing into who they were uniquely designed to be,” Lumpkin said. “I’m grateful for the people in my life who supported me as I learned to channel my passion into something positive. All individuals deserve to have the same opportunity.

“I encourage others to think of the people who have invested in you, and honor them and their impact by pouring blessings into others.”

About The Dayton Foundation

For over 100 years, The Dayton Foundation has been the trusted charitable giving resource for more than 4,000 individuals, families and organizations. As the largest grantmaker and community foundation in Greater Dayton, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.1 billion in grants since its founding in 1921, with current assets from all funds exceeding $1 billion. For more information about The Dayton Foundation, visit daytonfoundation.org.

This article originally appeared on Dayton Weekly News and republished through its partnership with Elevate Dayton.