President Sheila C. Bair today announced a gift of $1 million from alumna and trustee Rebecca Corbin Loree and her husband, Jim, that will catalyze a new level of strategic planning and programming to help students launch their careers upon graduation. The funds for the College’s Center for Career Development will make possible new and enhanced internships, job shadowing, crucial program assessments, and other related initiatives, giving students an extra edge as they plan their professional futures.

“We are not successful as a College unless we can give our students every tool possible to help them pursue their careers and to enter today’s competitive, quickly changing job market with both flexibility and a solid grounding in real-world experience,” President Bair says. “The work of the career center is increasingly crucial, and this gift reflects that. We are grateful for Rebecca’s insight into this vital part of the Washington College education and the generosity and foresight she and her husband, Jim, have shown with this wonderful gift.”

“Ideally, the funds would be used to develop a best-in-class, four-year career development program that yields a significant increase in job placement, both in terms of quantity and quality, as well as other positive outcomes,” Loree says. “I would like to see this program be a recognized strength and differentiating factor in the college search process. To do this, we must invest in leadership, technology, and other resources.”

Loree graduated cum laude and with honors in business management. In 2007, she founded Corbin Advisors, a specialized investor relations advisory firm assisting public companies with creating shareholder value. She serves as editor-in-chief of Inside the Buy-side®, the firm’s leading-edge investor sentiment research, and is a regular guest on CNBC. Loree is also president of the Jim and Rebecca Loree Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization that she co-founded with her husband in 2009.

As a college student, Loree was the first recipient of the Schottland Business Leadership Award, which honors a Washington College senior who has demonstrated outstanding leadership potential and academic excellence. She also received the Department of Business Management Award, which recognizes a graduating business major who has demonstrated exceptional qualities of scholarship, character, and leadership.

With this gift, the building that houses the College’s career center will be named the Rebecca Corbin Loree Center. Loree has also supported the Terrence Scout Endowed Scholarship and The Washington Fund, both of which help defray the cost of a WC education. In 2013, she established the Rebecca Corbin Loree Internship Fund, which helps business and economics students pursue summer internships leading to careers in the financial industry. Further underscoring her commitment, Loree’s company has employed several students as summer interns and recently hired a graduating senior.

“Rebecca has already given Washington College business students a boost by helping fund experiential learning, as well as taking the time to speak with students about the importance of real-world experience and developing networks and connections,” President Bair says. “Her generosity will now give all of our students a similar chance to pursue career goals with confidence.”