ALL THINGS WPC
eth Crawford (MS Agribusiness ’97), senior vice president of AGCO Corp., looks back at his time at W. P. Carey with appreciation and remembers how the school gave him the chance to succeed. “When I applied as a farm kid from rural Minnesota, I had no idea of the world-class education awaiting me,” he says.
Today, Crawford is doing all he can to give back. He is involved in the W. P. Carey Alumni Council, has reviewed scholarship applications, provided input to business school leadership, met and mentored current students, and built relationships with fellow alumni.
Giving to W. P. Carey goes deeper than money
Through his experience being a mentor, Crawford has discovered the value of helping the next generation of business leaders. “One of the students I mentored received her undergraduate and graduate degrees without ever stepping foot on the Tempe campus,” he says. “That alone made me inspired to see her success.”
Crawford quickly realized how much virtual learning differed from his in-person experience at W. P. Carey. “When I was in college, we didn’t even have the internet,” he says. “It’s hard to imagine going to college without living in a dorm, or walking across the bridge to campus. She was able to complete her degrees independently.”
He is motivated to support students as they build their futures. “The world can be a scary place, and I hope to help students become better prepared for success after college. If they leave feeling supported, they can understand how important it is to give back after graduation,” he suggests.
For Crawford, it’s important to stay tuned in to what students are currently learning. “I wanted more insight into the curriculum at W. P. Carey and decided that joining the Alumni Council could help me connect to my alumni network.”
Through W. P. Carey, he has also explored the emerging area of analytics and data science within the farm equipment business for AGCO, headquartered in Duluth, Georgia. “Even though W. P. Carey and ASU aren’t the primary recruiting group for the farm equipment business, we are always interested in hiring top talent,” he says.
Contributions combined with the charitable efforts of other alumni can make a huge difference for ASU and W. P. Carey students. “It’s important to me to give back. I use Sun Devil Giving Day to do so, but as you can tell, it is more than just a day,” says Crawford.
Support causes that you care about on campus and beyond: wpcarey.asu.edu/alumni-giving