Contact: Pamela Cox
Press Secretary
Virginia Union University
(804) 342-5856 (o)
(804) 937-7936 (c)
PHCox@vuu.edu
Virginia Union University is saddened by the passing of Board of Trustee member William A. Royall, Jr. He and his wife, Pam Royall, have provided generous leadership and support towards the continued success of our university.
“Bill was a great friend to Virginia Union University and his presence will be missed,” Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, President & CEO. “We were profoundly fortunate to learn from his business acumen, fundraising strategies, and passion for the arts. He and Pam have cheerfully supported student scholarships and contributed to the preservation and growth of our HBCU campus.”
Royall was elected to serve on VUU’s Board of Trustees in 2016 and was most recently chair of the Institutional Advancement Committee. He diligently met with representatives of the university on a weekly basis to help strategically plan fundraising opportunities and to engage others in the community to support VUU. He was an advocate and supporter of the university’s preservation of the Historic Industrial Arts Building. It is being rehabilitated into a new, state-of-the-art facility to house the Center for African American History and Culture which will focus on social justice, activism, research on how to achieve racial equality, and the history of African Americans in the United States. The building will also house VUU’s extensive museum and gallery artifacts of which Royall was deeply fond of the collections.
“Bill Royall brought great energy to our Board of Trustees and was an excellent advisor,” said Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chair of the VUU Board of Trustees. “He leaves a legacy of strong business intelligence that has put VUU on the path to greater transformation and excellence.”
Virginia Union University awarded Royall with an honorary doctorate in 2016.
About VUU: Virginia Union University is a premier liberal arts urban institution of higher education and center of excellence for the preparation of students and the development of leaders for tomorrow’s world. It was founded in 1865 to give newly emancipated slaves an opportunity for education and advancement. Virginia Union University offers a broad range of educational opportunities that advances liberal arts education, teaching, research, science, technology, continuing education, civic engagement, and international experiences. Visit https://www.vuu.edu/ for more information.