Don Henretty ’59 first learned of Randolph-Macon College through Dr. Lambuth Clarke, the son of his childhood minister. Dr. Clarke, a graduate from the Class of 1944 and an English professor at the College, encouraged Don to visit, and, like so many others, Don instantly fell in love with the beautiful campus. In fact, the serene atmosphere of Randolph-Macon’s campus is what continues to draw Don and his wife, Betsy, back today; one of the couple’s favorite spots is the view of the Fountain Plaza from the balcony of Brock Commons.

Henretty graduated from Randolph-Macon in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Betsy and Don each taught in the Fairfax County Public Schools for 33 years. Don went on to spend 10 years on the staff at St. Stephens and St. Agnes School in Alexandria. Don and Betsy are lifelong educators and share the same intrinsic belief in giving back and supporting education. This is why in 2020 the couple generously created The Elizabeth and Donald Henretty Scholarship, an endowed scholarship to support a student with an interest in education.

Don and Betsy are loyal Yellow Jacket fans and can be seen in the home stands of Day Field or Crenshaw Gymnasium or perhaps found streaming Randolph-Macon victories online when the two aren’t able to travel to campus from their home in Annandale, Virginia. Avid supporters of the Randolph-Macon Annual Fund and the Yellow Jacket Club, Don and Betsy have been supporting the College for an astonishing 62 years. Don jokingly admits that he loves to see that he has one of the longest giving streaks among his classmates when finding his name in the annual report each year! 

“Randolph-Macon gave me so much. I have great appreciation for the things that were unique during my time as a student and many of those remain true today. I have an opportunity and an obligation to support the College.”

The Henrettys take great pride in all that the College has accomplished in recent years. “Being a part of the College’s legacy and having the opportunity to participate and celebrate in many recent Randolph-Macon advancements has given us such tremendous joy in this stage of our lives.”