Carol and John Hamilton were always involved in their children’s education. So it seemed natural for the San Francisco Bay Area residents to continue the tradition when their eldest son, Jack, entered the McKelvey School of Engineering in 2017. At the time, they had no idea their engagement with the university would outlast their status as WashU parents and blossom into a personal and philanthropic passion.
“It has been a harmonic convergence,” says John, principal and co-founder of real estate development and management firm Embarcadero Capital Partners and also a WashU trustee. “We have developed deep relationships with so many people at the university. If you told me 10 years ago that we would be woven into the WashU family as much as we have, I would not have believed it.”
The Hamiltons, also parents of Liam, BSBA ’22, and Lauren, AB ’23, have invested considerable time and treasure in WashU. Both have an impressive record of service as volunteer leaders. Their gifts have supported two endowed scholarships for engineering students; WashU Athletics; and initiatives focused on student health and well-being, including a psychology doctoral training program that has expanded the availability of clinical mental health services on campus.
Most recently, they committed $4 million to endow a distinguished professorship aligned with the work of the Food and Agriculture Research Mission (FARM) in WashU’s Bursky School of Public Health. The gift bolsters the university’s efforts to promote healthier lives and flourishing communities through With You: The WashU Campaign.
“FARM was established to advance new areas of scholarship, education, and practice that fully integrate food systems and public health research, eliminating historical barriers that impede progress,” says Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, the Margaret C. Ryan Dean of Bursky Public Health and the Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health.
“The Hamiltons are helping us make that vision a reality,” Galea adds. “Through pioneering research, policy leadership, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, the Hamilton Family Distinguished Professor will drive sustainable innovations that increase global food security and nutrition.”
Volunteer leadership
Carol Hamilton
- Parents Council (past)
Served as co-chair from 2020-2021 - San Francisco Regional Cabinet (current)
- Student Success National Council chair (current)
- Bursky School of Public Health National Council (current)
John Hamilton
- Parents Council (past)
Served as co-chair from 2020-2021 - Board of Trustees (current)
Describe the evolution of your relationship with WashU.
John Hamilton: Up to my sophomore year of high school, I lived about 10 doors down from the Danforth Campus. It was a cool place to hang out during Thurtene Carnival, and my friends and I snuck into football games for free. My maternal grandparents and parents met at the university while they were students. My uncle, Walter Metcalfe [AB ’60], was a trustee, and my brother is a WashU Law alum. Many other family members are graduates as well.
Carol Hamilton: Although John and I attended colleges on opposite coasts and we had California kids, we were thrilled for them to go to school in the middle of the country. Plus, we have family in St. Louis, and we were eager to visit and support WashU and the region. We joined and eventually became chairs of the Parents Council, and to my great surprise, I was invited to join the San Francisco Regional Cabinet. I thought to myself, “What do I have to offer?” I got excited about fostering parent connections in the Bay Area, and our involvement has just grown from there.
How did your professorship gift come about?
Carol: We attended an event on campus that introduced us to Dean Galea and included presentations by superstar faculty researchers affiliated with FARM and Bursky Public Health. I was raised in California, where my parents grew avocados and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. I’ve always been interested in food systems from the perspective of access, nutrition, and environmental impact. The FARM presentation made it clear that WashU is well-positioned to lead on these issues, particularly since it’s located close to the country’s agricultural heartland. We were excited to hear that Dean Galea had plans for a professorship focused on food and nutrition, and we wanted to support it.
John: I knew from Carol’s family history that she would be interested in FARM. But I didn’t realize at the time how appealing the initiative’s approach was going to be for both of us. We heard their mission and plan for executing it, and we were in.
What do you hope the gift will accomplish?
Carol: We would like to see WashU drive change in local, national, and global food systems that results in lasting, measurable improvements in population health. This is hard work, and it will take time and investment. WashU already has an exceptional research infrastructure in this area. The leader who receives the professorship will accelerate this work. We’re excited to meet the person the university selects.
What inspires your confidence in WashU?
Carol: The university’s leadership is so impressive. Chancellor [Andrew D.] Martin has ably guided the school through the pandemic and other crises. We support everything he’s doing to keep WashU moving in the right direction.
John: We have been involved with a lot of schools in different ways, but no institution equals WashU in terms of the quality of the people we interact with, from the administration to the faculty and staff. They’re all so engaged with the mission. Middle of the country values permeate the university and provide a phenomenal foundation for exceptional teaching, research, and service.
How has your engagement with the university influenced your philanthropy?
John: We give to other organizations, but WashU is our priority. Along with the community colleges we support in California, we truly believe we — and our communities — get more ROI from the university, both in terms of what it’s doing for students and to improve the world. We really feel like our WashU giving makes a difference.
Will you continue to stay involved at WashU?
Carol: Yes, as long as we can be of service. Our time at the university has enriched our lives, particularly at our age, when we are looking for ways to give back.
John: I encourage parents, alumni, and others to engage with WashU through philanthropy or service. You will be inspired. You will be heard. And you will help make the university even better for future generations.
