“When I arrived at Hampden-Sydney, I had hardly traveled outside the state of Virginia,” Mowbray shares. “Mark Twain said it best, ‘Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.’”
After his freshman year, Mowbray and two friends drove to Montana by way of Texas to spend the summer working on a ranch.
“We pooled our money and bought a car for $100. Each of us had $50 in our pocket, and in the trunk, we had a case of motor oil and a case of pork and beans,” he says. “We worked hard and learned a lot.”
Mowbray chose Hampden-Sydney instead of one of the larger public universities, somewhat to the surprise of his parents. “I grew up in a blue-collar household. My father was a paint contractor, and my mother was a registered nurse.” Despite the cost, his parents supported his decision and helped him as they were able.
One of Mowbray’s high school football coaches, John Waters ’58 (who eventually became registrar and director of alumni affairs at Hampden-Sydney), took Mowbray to a Randolph-Macon football game during his senior year. “Once I visited Hampden-Sydney, I knew it was for me. I wanted to continue playing football, and I felt I would be more comfortable at a smaller school with access to my professors.”
It was one of those professors who made a lasting impact on Mowbray. “Like John Waters, Ed Crawford, who taught biology, changed my life. He was extremely tough, but he was a good man who cared for his students and wanted them to succeed. You could go turkey hunting with him on Saturday and he would flunk you on Monday.” Mowbray laughed.
After graduating, Mowbray went to dental school and then specialized in orthodontics. In 1973 he opened his practice in Marion, Virginia, continuing until his retirement in 2005. He and his wife, Bobbie, a Longwood alumna, began dating as students and have been married 57 years. An avid hunter, he has traveled the world and is a passionate supporter of conservation.
Though it took some time to build a successful practice, Mowbray continued to support Hampden-Sydney. “I’m a big believer in private higher education—it’s essential,” he explained. “Even when Bobbie and I were living on borrowed money in the ’70s, I always tried to give something. Giving becomes a habit, which is a good thing.”
To continue their support for the next generation, they have chosen to leave most of their estate to Hampden-Sydney. “Bobbie and I don’t have children, but even if we did, we would still be doing this. If you have provided kids with opportunities for an education, then they should be able to take care of themselves.”
Mowbray sees two challenges ahead for Hampden-Sydney. “Hampden-Sydney needs to remain solvent and not rely on outside funds or grants from the government. That kind of influence can be crippling,” Mowbray said. “To attract the top students, Hampden-Sydney must stay abreast of the changing times while staying true to our core values of one of the last all-male institutions in existence. They’ve done a great job with the facilities. I was so impressed when the new library was built—it’s state of the art! I remember we took chemistry in the basement of the auditorium!”
Most importantly, Mowbray wants Hampden-Sydney to continue to thrive in the future and be a place where future young men have their horizons broadened. “Every young man who graduates and makes an impression in the world increases the value of my Hampden-Sydney diploma.”
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