Take a Seat and Support Georgia Tech
Visitors to campus who sit on a bench located in Tech’s Harrison Square in the near future will likely be resting on one provided by H. Ronald Nash Jr., IE 1970, and Deborah Anne Nash, IE 1978.
The siblings, who have both been members of the Georgia Tech Foundation, made a joint gift of 16 commemorative benches to honor their family members — and spouses — who have attended and supported the Institute. “Our family has a long record of members graduating from Tech,” Ron Nash said. Deborah Nash agreed and added, “the spouses, in-laws and cousins who’ve joined our families have been generous supporters who deserve recognition as well.”
Fifteen of the benches will bear the name of a family member (and, in some cases, a spouse); the sixteenth bench will honor the entire family. In addition to individual names, each bench’s inscription will include the heading: “The Nash Family Benches.” The emphasis on the entire family was intentional. “Our father started the Georgia Tech tradition using the GI Bill after World War II, plus he and our mother worked to finance his education,” Ron Nash explained. Three of their four children graduated from Tech, five grandchildren followed in their footsteps, and several spouses and cousins joined them. “We thought that was worth commemorating.”
The two donors love the practical nature of the gift, but they also see significance in what it represents. “My immediate family and I all live on the west coast, and this is a great way for us to stay connected to Georgia Tech even though we aren’t physically there very often,” Deborah Nash said. “I want to contribute to keeping Georgia Tech a top institution accessible to others so they may have the same great experience that I did.”
Ron sees the gift as both a commemoration of the family and a way to “challenge the next generation to top what their parents did in supporting Tech, which has helped multiple people in our family immeasurably,” he said.
Both siblings hope their gift will inspire other families to support the Institute. “We hope our Nash Family Benches Project will inspire hundreds of others to consider a similar gift for their family members,” Ron Nash said.
Deborah Nash added that she “encourages all Tech alumni to give back in whatever way they can. Seeing the accomplishments of professors and students I’ve supported is very rewarding, and I hope every alum gets the opportunity to enjoy that.”
Both donors look forward to sitting under the shade trees near the Tech Tower on one of the Nash Family Benches. It will be a welcome respite after walking up The Hill.
Net proceeds from the Commemorative Bench and Tree Planting Program support campus beautification.