Fulfilled Promises: Alumna Establishes Endowment for UWG Debate Share this page
Anita Lamar ’07, founder and managing attorney of Lamar Law Office, LLC, has built her life and career through determination and academic excellence, and she is encouraging students at the University of West Georgia to do the same through her recently established Lamar Debate Visionary Endowment.
“I have been blessed in such a way that the only reason this could have happened to me is because I’m meant to help someone else,” Lamar shared. “This endowment is the perfect opportunity for me to give back to the debate team and to the university that gave me my start.”
Lamar came to UWG as a first-generation college student who had a talent for debate and excelled academically. As she began her college search, she reached out to Dr. Michael Hester, who was serving as debate director at the time, in hopes that UWG would have a place for her on the debate team. Hester took Lamar and her family under his wing, and she was able to attend the university by earning a full scholarship.
“Mike spoke to my whole family as I was preparing for college, comforting them and assuring them that UWG would take care of me,” Lamar said. “He really became like a dad to our Debate Team, which added to the family aspect of the entire group.”
Being able to attend UWG with less financial constraints along with the mentorship, camaraderie and lifelong friendships that the UWG Debate Team offered made all the difference in Lamar’s college experience, and she always promised herself that she would give back to help others once she was able.
She fulfills that promise not only through her philanthropy at UWG but also within her law office. Their motto is “we care” – saying that they not only provide services to their clients but also the community, with all the employees sharing in the belief of the importance of being in service to the community.
The Lamar Debate Visionary Endowment will support the strategic goals of UWG Debate, including but not limited to travel, student awards and programmatic support. Lamar, who had not considered going to law school until she was studying political science and practicing debate at UWG, shared that travelling for competitions was one of the many doors that the debate team opened for her. She wants future UWG students to be able to gain experiences that will open doors – and their eyes – to opportunities.
“Anita’s establishment of the Lamar Debate Visionary Endowment speaks to the power and significance of helping generations of students to come,” said Haley Jackson, assistant vice president for development. “This endowment will live on in perpetuity, helping future UWG Debate students find their path – just as Dr. Hester helped Anita and her cohort find theirs. We are so thankful for her commitment and generosity.”
Lamar hopes that other UWG Debate alumni will turn their shared enthusiasm into additional gifts, giving back to the community that gave them all so much. For more information about how you can impact UWG through an endowment, scholarship or annual giving, please visit UWG’s Give West page.