Alumni Couple Supports Teaching, Learning and Inspiration in The George Lawrence Abernethy Library

They have contributed to the arts, the college’s commemoration efforts, study abroad programs, Davidson Baseball and, now, The George Lawrence Abernethy Library.

Their latest gift will name the Porter Classroom within the John Crosland Jr. Center for Teaching and Learning, which provides services for all Davidson scholars, including peer tutoring, multilingual support and teaching resources.

“This is our largest gift, and it aligns perfectly with our passions,” said the couple. “The library is being revitalized and made stronger, and it will remain a natural gathering place in the heart of campus. It’s a place that gives different communities a chance to blend, and that’s one of the things we love about Davidson.”

The gift also connects to their family’s experiences with education. Fritz has dyslexia and understands firsthand the need for Davidson to provide all students with different approaches to teaching and learning. The design of the new library will allow the college to expand its current programs while encouraging creativity and new ways of thinking.

“Teaching and learning are becoming more collaborative and more focused on active learning,” said Mark Barsoum, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. “We know better, now, how people learn best and what the best kind of teaching is to bring that learning out of students. Additionally, the spaces in the new library will have so much variety in terms of size, shape, wall texture, finishes, views … all things we know make a huge difference for learning.” 

Barsoum is also looking forward to the ways the library will inspire all who enter.

“If you think about what a beautiful new space can do with its openness, light, greenery and sight lines, which are all priority considerations for the renovated building, they inspire people to do their best work and be their best,” he said. “We’re going to have opportunities to be creative and work together in more ways than ever before.”

As students, the Porters took a political science class together, but she sat up front while he sat in the back. Some time into the semester, Fritz approached Mary Margaret at a party and mentioned the class they took together. It turns out Mary Margaret wasn’t paying as much attention to the students around her in class; as far as she knew, that party was her first encounter with her future spouse. 

Throughout their time at Davidson, both stayed busy with academics and extracurriculars. Fritz played baseball all four years, football for one, and was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Mary Margaret was active on the Union Board and in Rusk Eating House and worked as a hall counselor.

“Once we started dating, I always knew I could find him in the library,” Mary Margaret said. “If he wasn’t on the baseball field, he was in the basement of the library studying.” 

Today, the Porters live in Charlotte and have remained deeply involved as Davidson alums, including service as co-chairs of the Charlotte Alumni Chapter for nearly a decade. Fritz served as a member of the Board of Visitors and has been a reunion and annual fund volunteer. Mary Margaret has also served her class as a reunion volunteer and longtime class secretary. She was a co-chair of the Women ACT women's philanthropy initiative and currently serves as a member of the Art Collection Advisory Committee.