Dorcas Wilkinson: “You Can See Philanthropy at Work”

“You can see philanthropy at work every day at VMI: In the cadets who receive scholarships and whose research or study aboard programs are funded in part through private gifts, in the faculty who are supported by faculty endowments, in the facility and grounds improvements, and in new buildings.”

That’s how Dorcas Wilkinson, a VMI Foundation Board of Trustees member, explains the real and tangible impact private philanthropy has on the Institute and the Corps of Cadets. It’s an impact that she’s experienced in her own life, as she’s come to know the recipients of the scholarship that she and her late husband, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Spencer “Spence” Wilkinson ’66, endowed several years ago.

A graduate of the University of Maine who’s spent much of her professional career in higher education fundraising, Wilkinson came to know and love VMI through her husband, who matriculated from Arrington, Virginia, a small community in Nelson County, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from VMI. After graduation, he went on to a 25-year career with the Air Force, followed by an 18- year career at Lockheed Martin. Throughout his life, he maintained strong ties with his brother rats.

Spence’s enduring affection for VMI was evident from the moment he and Wilkinson met, of course, but for her, a funeral for an alumnus missing in action during the Vietnam War highlighted the brother rat bonds like nothing else could.

Spence’s roommate, U.S. Air Force Capt. J. Scott Dotson ’66, was shot down over Laos in 1969, but his remains weren’t identified until 2002.

“When Scott was finally returned home, brother rats came from all over the country to honor him at his burial at Arlington,” Wilkinson recalled. “The brotherhood, the respect for each other, the love for each other, and the connection they feel is remarkable and was especially visible that day. It made an impact on me.”

Dorcas Wilkinson with Cadet Eufenuel-John Buna ’27, recipient of the Wilkinson scholarship, at the VMI Foundation Scholarship Banquet in April 2025.

Both Spence and his brother, Robert A. “Bob” Wilkinson ’65, were recipients of scholarships that enabled them to attend VMI. For both, Wilkinson noted, the Institute was the only college they applied to, and coming from a family of modest means, higher education wouldn’t have been possible without financial assistance.

“[Spence] received the James Henry Maxwell, Class of 1885 Scholarship, established in Maxwell’s memory by his sister, Mary Maxwell, in 1921. He never forgot the generosity of Ms. Maxwell,” Wilkinson commented. Early on, Spence determined that when the time was right, he would follow her lead, and so several years ago, he endowed a scholarship. “We have thoroughly enjoyed meeting each scholarship recipient and realizing the difference it was making in their lives,” said Wilkinson.

The VMI Foundation Scholarship Banquet, at which donors have a chance to meet and interact with the cadets holding their scholarships, quickly became a highly anticipated date on the Wilkinsons’ calendar. “The scholarship luncheon is truly my favorite event each year at VMI, as it was for Spence. The opportunity to meet the recipients and learn about their dreams, aspirations, and accomplishments encouraged Spence to add to the endowment each year, and I continue to do the same. And with a couple of the recipients, we developed long-standing relationships.”

One of those relationships is with U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Quincy Murphy ’15, a standout track and field athlete who received the Wilkinson Scholarship for 3 years as a cadet. A civil engineering major, Murphy went to work in that field immediately after graduation but later felt the call to serve his country.

“He called Spence one night and said, ‘I’m thinking about going into the Marines. Would you write me a letter of recommendation?’” Wilkinson recalled.

“He’s now a captain in the Marine Corps, and we continue to stay in touch,” she said. “He returned to Virginia for a couple of years, while studying for his master’s in environmental engineering at Old Dominion University. Being close to Lexington, I would invite him to join me at the scholarship luncheon. The event was a great opportunity for him to interact with the [cadets] and give them some advice and counsel. Perhaps someday, Quincy and the other recipients will establish their own scholarship endowments.”

Wilkinson’s support for the Institute, though, hasn’t been limited to the scholarship that bears her husband’s name. Spence was manager of the football team as a cadet, and since his passing in 2019, Wilkinson has made supporting the Keydet Club a priority, as well.

“I also give unrestricted VMI, because I have a very strong belief that those are the most valuable dollars that come to any institution,” she stated.

Wilkinson has been a Foundation trustee since 2021, and the position has opened her eyes to the extent to which private giving enables VMI to provide cadets with a 21st-century education.

“You walk across post, and you can truly see philanthropy at work,” she stated. “And when you read stories about current initiatives such as the Call to Duty Scholarship program, the priorities for VMI athletics, or plans for the Advancement Center, all of which are being driven significantly by private gifts, you realize the power of philanthropy and what it does for the Corps of Cadets and VMI. I hope every member of the VMI family will consider making a gift because it is so critical for the Institute’s future.”