Sitting in Sottile House brought back a flood of memories for Kaye Wallace ’82. Before it became the home of Institutional Advancement, Sottile House had been a women’s dormitory and Kaye’s home. “I was on the first floor in what was originally the sitting room,” she says, noting that she always had a front row seat for what was happening on campus.
A business administration major and economics minor, Kaye attended a career fair on campus and landed a job in the accounting department of The Kiawah Island Company. Over the years she changed jobs and started her own businesses, but Kiawah always played a central role in her career. That said, her heart remained with downtown Charleston and the College. After marrying her husband, Johnny Wallace, they moved to Warren Street, just a few blocks from campus.
“Because we lived in the neighborhood, we always felt like part of the College,” says Kaye, who attended Spoleto events and shows at Sottile Theater when it reopened its doors in 1990.
On Kiawah, Kaye co-founded Benchmark Rentals, a boutique vacation rental business, and founded Accounting 101, a financial services company for locally owned businesses. Johnny started out in commercial banking and then moved to serve as CFO of Porter Gaud School.
It wasn’t until Kaye’s niece, Katie Waters ’25, came to the College that Kaye realized how much the College had changed since she had attended. While the College was part of the fabric of her neighborhood, she wasn’t involved like she had been as a student.
“My niece kept me plugged in on what was happening around campus and got me excited again,” says Kaye. “I volunteered with Kids on Point, so we would go to watch the kids play squash. It was nice to see the partnership between the College and Kids on Point. I was also impressed with the number of Call Me Mister students volunteering; male K-12 educators are as rare as unicorns.”
Kaye loves that the study abroad program has remained an important part of the CofC experience. She remembers taking a Maymester course that included visiting American subsidiaries of European companies and then traveling to Europe in June to visit the parent companies.
Kaye also appreciated that the faculty continue to be involved with their students. She recalled her economics professor, Paul Jursa, who also served as her advisor.
“Professor Jursa always spoke to me in the hallway, which made me feel more welcome and comfortable,” says Kaye. “He guided me through the courses to take and encouraged me to push through. He really made a difference in my experience at CofC.”
Another aspect of the College that Kaye and Johnny enjoy is the College sports teams. They found the men’s basketball games to be so fun and energetic that they now have season tickets to the games.
When Kaye and Johnny learned of the Cougar Food Pantry, it made them aware of how many students
struggle financially not just with tuition but with basic living expenses. They were inspired to establish the John and Kaye Wallace ’82 Endowed Scholarship to help students with financial need get through university without a huge amount of debt. Through their planned gift, their scholarship will continue to help students in financial need in perpetuity.
“My parents emphasized the importance of an education,” says Kaye. “I feel a sense of duty to help students make it through. By alleviating the financial burden, we hope to make what is already a stressful situation a little less overwhelming.”
The College owes Katie Waters ’25 a debt of gratitude for reintroducing her aunt to her alma mater, which led to a legacy of scholarships for students in financial need.
Truly a full circle moment.