Giving Day Match Increased Support for James Farmer Multicultural Center.
Three Mary Washington diplomas are centered on a wall behind a desk in Ashburn, Virginia. Jacob Sapp ’04, MBA ’08 and Kelly Sapp ’08 are proud of their connections to Mary Washington
and Fredericksburg, and they remain engaged and supportive of university priorities.
For Mary Wash Giving Day held April 13, 2021, the couple matched gifts made to the James Farmer Multicultural Center (JFMC). The Sapp Match was dollar-for-dollar, up to $2,500, in support of underrepresented students and the JFMC’s diversity, inclusion, and social justice programs. The match was so well received, the couple increased the match to $5,000.
“Recent news events made Kelly and I more aware of social injustice, so we looked for ways to get involved and to set an example for our children and others,” says Jacob. “We discovered that programming offered through the James Farmer Multicultural Center supports success, while inspiring students to become leaders in their fields and to advocate for social justice.”
Jacob grew up in Fredericksburg and excelled in math. He completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration – and with a professional reference from Professor and Associate Dean Ken Machande – soon landed his first job for a federal contractor in Dahlgren.
He married Kelly in 2006 and began taking graduate courses toward a master’s degree in business administration. In a serendipitous twist, Jacob received his MBA diploma and Kelly received her diploma for a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at the same commencement ceremony in May 2008.
Today, Jacob is Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for ASRC Federal, a federal government aerospace and defense contractor. Twice, he has participated in career chats to offer advice and perspective to UMW students based on his 17 years of business experience. He also serves on the James Farmer Circle to help promote a fundraising initiative named in honor of UMW’s late Distinguished Professor of History and American Studies.
“Kelly and I have a lot of respect for Mary Washington,” says Jacob. “We feel this is one way we can help increase awareness and make things a little bit better.” The couple initially made a donation in 2020. Their matching gift added additional support for JFMC programming, while doubling the impact of gifts from other donors.
To learn more about the James Farmer Multicultural Center, visit students.umw.edu/multicultural.
There’s no time like spring at the University of Mary Washington, and there’s no day like Giving Day. 