This spring, the father-daughter duo had the opportunity to participate in judging the Nisbet Venture Fund Pitch Hurt Hub competition.
“Hurt Hub is something that sets Davidson apart from some of its sister schools,” Spencer Mitchem said. “I’m glad Kristi is putting money behind it. When I was in town for the competition, I had dinner with my friend and colleague [President Emeritus] John Kuykendall, and he said he wished he had thought of that when he was president.”
Spencer came to Davidson from a small town in northwest Florida and made lifelong friendships on campus. With all three of his children becoming Wildcats, he hopes at least one grandchild will follow in those footsteps, so they can experience the many ways Davidson has continued to grow since he was a student.
“When I was at Davidson, three-quarters of the class went on to graduate school,” he said. “Hurt Hub allows students to structure work and prepare for many different paths after college. I think that’s great.”
Krista’s investment will create even more partnership and learning opportunities for students, alumni, business leaders and the community. Through experiential learning, mentoring, educational programming and access to capital for budding entrepreneurs, Hurt Hub brings together people interested in innovation, new ideas and creative solutions.
In addition to recognizing her father’s profound influence in her life, Kristi, a member of the Davidson College Board of Trustees, also made this transformational gift in honor of President Carol Quillen, with whom she has connected as a woman in leadership. Quillen ends her term as president at the end of July.
“She’s running the college and I’m running a big business — we’ve been thinking together about what Davidson needs to be successful and what students need to be successful,” she explained. “Carol has truly brought to Davidson a fresh, modern vision of what today’s students need to maximize their impact as corporate actors and leaders in the world.”
When Kristi thought about why this gift and why now, Quillen’s leadership was top of mind.
“This is a way to thank a president who has transformed the college in some significant, positive ways,” she said. “Carol is a brilliant forward-thinking person. She has made Davidson better, and I hope this gift will continue to move us in the right direction.”
