In August of 1991, Adam Artigliere ’95 was apprehensive as he crossed the state line and entered Virginia for the first time in his life. He had been recruited to play football at Hampden-Sydney College. That same year, Gerald Gillespy ’88 was also apprehensive about his new adventure as he was prepared to enter the practice of law at Burr & Forman in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.

Back on the Hill, Erich Durlacher ’93 was entering his junior year that fall, having driven a similar road as Adam and starting at the College without ever before having stepped foot on campus. Ellsworth Summers ’94 had entered the College just the year before, after graduating from the esteemed Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia.

Little did these men know when they each entered the Hampden-Sydney gates how their paths would converge years later as they would each go on to become partners at one of the Southeast’s revered business law firms Burr & Forman.

While Summers, Durlacher, and Gillespy all started law school fairly shortly after graduating from Hampden-Sydney, Artigliere took a more circuitous route. He bartended in St. Pete Beach, Florida—just down the street from Stetson College of Law where Summers was studying; Auburn, Alabama; and Charleston, South Carolina, where he also used his history degree as a tour guide. Eight years after graduation, he returned to the Sunshine State to attend law school.

Today, these four Hampden-Sydney alumni are based in different offices with different legal specialties. Artigliere is based in Greenville, South Carolina, practicing commercial real estate and local government law, while Gillespy practices commercial litigation in Birmingham, Alabama. Summers and Durlacher are based in Jacksonville, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia, respectively, both practicing financial restructuring and bankruptcy. All four credit their time at Hampden-Sydney for setting them up for success. Despite their geographic distance and disparate professional areas, these Tigers speak to each other weekly and gather monthly at partner meetings.

“There is a spirit of brotherhood among all alumni of the College, based on a common education, experience, and love of the school that we all share and appreciate, regardless of which years were spent on the Hill,” says Gillespy.

Durlacher agrees, recalling it was Gillespy who took him to lunch after his first interview at Burr & Forman. “It was nice to have someone with whom I had a shared connection and could reminisce about our different times on the Hill. There was a level of comfort and trust there based on our time at the College, even though we matriculated in different decades.”

He added, “I have seen this same dynamic play out time and again as I interact with Hampden-Sydney alumni in my work, from meeting a new client contact to hiring a newly-minted associate, to working with my fellow partners in different offices. Each time, I know I am engaging with a well-rounded man, who has a good head on his shoulders and can communicate and speak effectively on a variety of topics—while also enjoying an occasional glass of bourbon. I am always left a little richer by the experience.”

These legal eagles also share an appreciation for the liberal arts education they received at the College, reflecting on professors who instilled a love of learning and a healthy curiosity while building a firm foundation for understanding arguments and the value of honest debate—instrumental assets for a lawyer.

“The beauty of attending a place like Hampden-Sydney was the opportunity and ability to personally interact with professors,” said Gillespy. “I enjoyed all of my classes and getting to know all of my professors, especially Dr. Donald Ortner and Dr. Robert (“Bob”) Herdegan, who retired in 2020 after 39 years of service to the College. As an example of the meaningful relationships formed with faculty members, Dr. Herdegan even attended my wedding in Alabama in 1992.”

The mission of the College “to form good men and good citizens” continues to inspire these alumni years after they left the Hill as well, and they live it out in their respective communities.

While at the College, both Artigliere and Durlacher tutored middle school students. “I was supposed to teach them social studies, but I quickly realized that these eighth graders could not read. My focus went from teaching civics to teaching reading. This experience has carried forward to my involvement as a founding board member of Lakes and Bridges Charter School, one of the first free public schools in the southeast United States that is primarily dedicated to teaching students with dyslexia,” says Artigliere.

Durlacher adds, “Hampden-Sydney impressed upon all of us that we have a duty to be active contributors in all areas of our lives. For me, it meant getting involved in leadership at Burr & Forman as well as with various non-profits and philanthropic organizations. The school’s emphasis on clear thinking and communication places us at a distinct advantage to lead and make a positive impact on our communities.”

The roads that Hampden-Sydney men travel before the College are different, and the journeys they take after their time on the Hill may not be the same, but the support and bond between Hampden-Sydney men is priceless. A rigorous liberal arts education and a purposeful mission connect these men. Hampden-Sydney’s alumni network may be number three in the nation, but the support and camaraderie it provides is second to none.

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