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Delaware Valley University Receives New Gift to Support Athletics

A gift from Dr. Thomas W. Watson '57 and his wife, Judee Wales Watson, will fund athletics facilities renovations.

Doylestown, PA (10/08/2021) — After contributing substantially to academics at Delaware Valley University for many years, Dr. Thomas W. Watson '57 and his wife, actor Judee Wales Watson, have made a new gift to support Athletics. The gift will fund renovations to the men's, women's and visitor locker rooms and upgrades for the baseball facilities.

"I want to continue to see Delaware Valley University thrive and I want to help students gain values that they can take with them throughout their lives," said Dr. Watson.

The Dr. Thomas W. Watson '57 and Judee Wales Watson Locker Rooms are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022. The baseball facilities upgrades are still in the planning process.

As a DelVal student, Dr. Watson played baseball all four years. He believes that athletic teams teach students more than just a sport.

"I have been in athletics all my life," said Dr. Watson. "Being an athlete makes you more competitive and you carry that with you on and off of the field. You learn the importance of teamwork and comradery."

His experiences as an athlete helped prepare him for the business world.

"I took a lot from the game and it made me a better person and a better executive," said Dr. Watson.

Dr. Watson, who earned his bachelor's degree from DelVal and his MBA from Hofstra University, has worked in global business. He received an honorary doctorate from DelVal in 2007 when he served as Commencement speaker. In 2005, he retired from his career as Co-Founder and Vice-Chairman of the Omnicom Group, one of the world's largest marketing and advertising companies.

"Tom and Judee have changed so many students' lives at DelVal through their support," said Interim Delaware Valley University President Dr. Benjamin E. Rusiloski. "Our students are better prepared for life after college because of the learning opportunities they provide through academics. At DelVal, we believe that learning happens through all parts of the campus experience and not just in the classroom. Athletics teaches students valuable life skills like teamwork, leadership and time management. This new gift to support Athletics will further enhance opportunities for students to grow."

The Watsons have been strong supporters of the University for many years. Dr. Watson founded the Watson Executive-in-Residence program at DelVal, which brings real-world business executives to campus to share candid career advice with students. DelVal students have opportunities to ask questions, network, and interact with executives one-on-one during the visits. The program also awards a scholarship in honor of each executive.

This new gift will further enhance opportunities for students at DelVal and will help the University as a whole.

"The generosity and support of the Watsons of our new locker room facilities is truly a game-changer in many different ways for current and future Delaware Valley University student athletes," said Athletic Director Dave Duda. "The new upgrades will make us more competitive within our conference from a facilities standpoint, while providing new areas for individual teams to meet and conduct film study preparation to enhance performance. This will be a much-needed boost for the many teams, coaches, and student athletes that will benefit from this initiative, along with the effect it will have on all future recruiting efforts for our teams. I feel fortunate to have gotten to know such special people in Tom and Judee throughout this process, and truly appreciate their continued support of our University."

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Credit: Delaware Valley University archives. Dr. Thomas W. Watson ’57, a Delaware Valley University alumnus and former baseball player.

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