Davidson College Dedicates New Student Resource Center

Thomas “Tom” Finke leverages nearly 30 years of experience in the banking and investment industries to serve as chairman and CEO of Barings LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina. Alongside his work as an investment executive, Thomas Finke serves as a member of the Capital Campaign Committee for Davidson College. 

As part of its efforts to meet the wide-ranging needs of all students, Davidson College recently opened Lula Bell’s, a new campus gathering spot that will serve as a resource for food, clothing, textbooks, and items such as toothpaste and shampoo. Named in honor of longtime Davidson employee Lula Bell, who worked at the school laundry for more than 60 years, the facility will also feature educational programming on interviewing, money management, and other life-skills topics. 

Lula Bell’s was launched with the support of a gift from Decker Anstrom and Sherry Hiemstra. The Washington, DC, residents donated the money in memory of their son Tom Anstrom, a 2004 Davidson graduate. They and Lula Bell were among those who attended the October 2017 dedication of the new campus resource center.

Davidson College's Civic Engagement Center Expands Education Access

Thomas Finke is chairman and CEO of Barings Asset Management, LLC, an institutional asset management company overseeing more than $2 billion in funds. In addition to his chief executive role, Tom Finke has served as a member of the capital campaign committee for Davidson College.

One of the programs Davidson College raises money for is its Center for Civic Engagement. The Center is dedicated to improving K-12 education and increasing access to higher education. One of the Center’s programs is a project-based internship for Davidson students in the Charlotte education system, affording them the chance to get hands-on experience developing solutions for the complex problems facing the education system.

The Center also helps to coordinate the College Advising Corps, which places college-educated full-time advisors in high schools to encourage and support students in the college application process, as well as a federal work-study program, which places students in a non-profit setting to gain relevant community service experience.