What drives Tom Dingledine’s (MBA ’78) passion for the Program for Leadership and Character? It’s a combination of gratitude for his own Wake Forest education — anchored in Pro Humanitate — and the desire to help address the leadership challenges he observes in today’s world.
Dingledine, a Life Trustee of the University, helped elevate the program, which is now a model in higher education. He also inspired others to join him. His early donations, and subsequent contributions made by other supporters, provided $5 million to advance the program.
Dingledine’s motivation for pouring his energy, time and resources into the program stems from a clear-eyed look at the modern global landscape. He sees a growing need for grounded, principled leadership. When ethical missteps and compromised integrity take center stage, he says, the ripple effects touch every corner of society.
Decades ago, Dingledine says he advised a federal initiative that aimed to integrate character education into schools’ curricula through books and other media. They crafted materials, but the effort stalled, he recalls, in part because teachers were not given sufficient training to bring those lessons to life.
Rather than stepping away from the issue, Dingledine looked to Wake Forest and saw an opportunity. “There’s a cost to society of the absence of leadership and character, and that cost is extreme,” says Dingledine. Driven by that insight, and intrigued by a burgeoning initiative that President Emeritus Nathan O. Hatch (LHD ’21) had set in motion at Wake Forest, he decided to support a program that could fill that gap.
The Program for Leadership and Character develops faculty, staff and overall pedagogy across many academic subjects. From history and philosophy to computer science, psychology and law, the program has ensured that character development is woven naturally into the academic experience.
While character education sounds straightforward, it takes intentional effort. “It requires a tremendous amount of time, reflection and attention,” says Michael Lamb, senior executive director of the Program for Leadership and Character.
“What makes Wake Forest distinctive is that we situate our teaching, programming and research on leadership and character within a committed community of care. Character is shaped not only by programs, but by people. Our faculty and staff provide the transformative mentoring and personal support that make authentic character development possible.”
In addition to supporting the program himself, Dingledine established a $1 million endowment match in honor of Hatch.
Dingledine’s initial gift prompted seven additional donors to give a combined total of $1 million. Building on that momentum, Dingledine launched a $500,000 current-use challenge match, which inspired 23 more supporters. His original gift even motivated another benefactor, Jen Toll
(P ’12, ’18), to establish a complementary $1 million matching fund. All told, Dingledine’s commitment yielded a $5 million total impact for the program, and he recently committed to donate another $200,000.
Even with the momentum he created, Dingledine is quick to pass the credit along. He consistently redirects questions about how he inspired such giving back to the students, faculty, Wake Forest and the community. For him, the ultimate goal is simple: creating a culture of character where individuals regularly reflect on their core virtues and how they show up when tested.
With the support of Dingledine and fellow donors, Wake Forest has become a national model in the field of character education. Through the generosity of many, Wake Forest has been able to award more than 200 higher-education institutions grants through the Educating Character Initiative and steward $118 million in support for character education across higher education from major philanthropic foundations.
Looking forward, Dingledine sees even greater potential. “It helps us in attracting the best and brightest students and those who want to be a part of this program. … We haven’t really even touched where this program may go.”
He shares the story of a former business school classmate who envisioned a future where Wake Forest graduates enter boardrooms, courtrooms, classrooms and community centers, leading with such humility and moral clarity that others ask, “By chance, did you go to Wake Forest University?”
Through his philanthropic leadership and personal commitment, Dingledine has helped equip students with the tools to navigate a complex world with clarity, courage and a strong moral compass.
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