The most poetic stories often begin in the most iconic places. For Teryce James ’82 and Sanford Brumley ’82, that place was College Walk, right in front of Alma Mater. It was a classic campus scene: Sandy was hunting for a bagel, and Teri was headed to a football game. Flirtatious words were exchanged, sparking a series of "accidental" run-ins between classes and over lunch hours.

The turning point came when Teri invited Sandy for sixty-cent tequila shots at The West End Bar, a haunt once famous as the home of “The Beat Generation.” Sandy, ever the diligent student, initially demurred to study at the library. However, Teri pointed out that the library closed at 10:00 PM, leaving plenty of time for a shot. Sandy’s "dim light bulb" went on, an agreement was reached, and a CBS romance officially blossomed.

As graduation approached and corporate roles beckoned, the stakes grew higher. Teri proposed a two-month celebratory trip to Europe. What Sandy did not realize was that this was essentially a “summer internship” for a permanent role as a life partner. The "interview" hit a rocky patch when tense words were exchanged on a train in the south of France. Fortunately, the relationship was restored after a heart-to-heart at the Rolling Stones concert in Paris. Sandy's "internship performance" was deemed exceptional, and the "full-time position" has now lasted forty-five years and counting.

Today, Sandy and Teri’s bond remains strong, as does their bond with Columbia Business School. Out of deep gratitude for the careers their education helped build, they have chosen to give back to the school in meaningful ways. They have included CBS in their estate plans as members of Columbia’s 1754 Society, and have also chosen to give throughout their lives. Being firm believers in "giving while living," they prefer to see the impact of their philanthropy firsthand. 

By strengthening business education today and supporting the next generation of CBS leaders, they are ensuring that the campus remains a place where both professional and personal dreams can come true.

__________

Please consider making a gift to Columbia Business School today to celebrate the community where lifelong connections and lasting legacies begin.