Andy '89 and Debbie Reiken: Extending Opportunity Forward

For Andy and Debbie Reiken, education has always been about opportunity, the kind of opportunity that can change the course of a life. Their recent decision to establish a scholarship through their estate is rooted in gratitude for the ways education, and Union in particular, shaped Andy's path.

"Union gave me the tools to succeed," Andy reflects. "It challenged me to grow, sharpened my writing, and prepared me for graduate school and my career. Looking back, I feel truly fortunate. Union had a lot to do with that."

Today, Andy is a partner at Graycliff Capital in Greenville, S.C., where he focuses on capital markets and acquisitions. With more than 30 years in real estate finance and investing, including leadership roles at LaSalle Bank and Goldman Sachs before co-founding Graycliff, Andy has built a career grounded in analytical rigor and strategic insight.

But to him, success has never been just professional. He and Debbie are equally passionate about creating opportunities for others. Their scholarship will help students with financial need access the kind of private liberal arts education that shaped their own family's journey.

"Union was a stretch financially for my family," Andy recalls. "But my parents believed a private liberal arts education mattered. Debbie and I want today's students to have the same chance to choose the school that's the best fit for them."

That belief is one they've also passed on to their daughters, Marissa and Jessica, who both chose private liberal arts colleges that matched their interests and goals.

"We wanted them to have options, to feel free to change direction if needed," Andy says. "That flexibility was one of the gifts Union gave me, and they found it too."

The value of Union, Andy emphasizes, wasn't just in academics, but also in mentorship. He recalls how Professor Peter Prosper brought economics to life in ways that stuck with him for decades.

"Peter had a gift for making complex topics engaging," Andy remembers. "In one course, he guided us through a mock labor negotiation. He showed us that even when you don't agree with an outcome, you can still respect the process. That lesson has stayed with me ever since."

Andy's appreciation for Union is also deeply personal. When he was a senior in high school, his father – who had always encouraged his children to pursue opportunities he hadn't had – suffered a heart attack. Even so, his father was able to tour Union with him, and the experience made a lasting impression on them both.

"Because Debbie and I have been fortunate, we feel strongly about extending opportunity forward," Andy says. "Education is the best investment you can make. It opens doors, levels the playing field and changes lives. That's what Union did for me, and what we hope our scholarship will do for generations of students to come."