Half My Life

Jeff Larsen ’93 made a lead commitment in spring 2025 to establish the Brian P. Davidson Endowed Fund for Advising, honoring Davidson’s 33 years of dedicated service at Peddie. The process of establishing this fund started before Davidson was aware of its existence. It was kept quiet until the announcement to Davidson himself. At the time, the Fund didn’t have a name or purpose. Davidson would design it in close contact with Larsen.

When he learned he could support Peddie in a personally meaningful way, Davidson felt honored and chose to support advisors, a role he had cherished for more than three decades at Peddie.

“What makes the Brian P. Davidson Endowed Fund for Advising so meaningful is that it elevates the role of the advisor — an often deeply impactful presence in a student’s life,” said Assistant Head for Student Life Jenate Brown. “Advising isn’t just about checking in or offering guidance; it’s about building trust, fostering growth and walking alongside students during some of their most formative years. This Fund honors that commitment and ensures that future generations of advisors at Peddie will have the resources to carry forward the legacy that Brian so beautifully embodied.”

“As an advisor, you provide students with a time and space to relax and be themselves,” Davidson shared. “It’s a relationship that, more often than not, involves food — an added incentive for students to show up for advisee meetings. And while Peddie does provide some funding, advisors often reach into their own pockets to buy snacks and other items for gatherings. As small as those things may seem, they add up. This Fund will help offset those costs.”

The Brian P. Davidson Endowed Fund for Advising reached the endowment minimum of $100,000 just weeks after Larsen’s leadership and generosity inspired others to contribute. “When I looked at the list of people who supported this fund,” Davidson said, “I was pleased to see former advisees on the list, along with parents and many alumni I had special relationships with over the years. That showed me just how impactful advisors are at Peddie, and how much they matter to people.”

During his years at Peddie, Davidson served full time as director of alumni relations while also advising numerous students and connecting with hundreds more through his responsibilities in the dorms. “Peddie remains very important to me. It’s where I spent half my life — and it has had a lasting impact on me. This endowment will be a deeply appreciated tangible legacy, which I hope will continue to benefit the students of Peddie.”