Longtime McDonogh Supporter Jack Doub: From Hero Student-Athlete to Hero of Philanthropy

It is fitting that one of the last occasions R. Jack Doub ’52 attended at McDonogh before his death in April 2015 was the first presentation of the Class of 1952 Charles C. Kinard, Sr. Master Teaching Chair. During McDonogh’s Becoming Our Best Campaign, Jack and his classmates established the chair in memory of their English teacher Charles Kinard.

Jack was devoted to McDonogh from the time he arrived on campus as a first grader in 1940. As a student-athlete, he was accomplished both in the classroom and on the field. He regularly made the honor roll, rose to the rank of lieutenant in Company B, and was a three-sport athlete who excelled in football. In the fall of his senior year, he was presented with the prestigious McCormick Unsung Hero Award. The characteristics that earned him the statewide distinction on the field were the same qualities he brought back to McDonogh as an active alumnus and parent. He served as president of the Alumni Association and later as a member of the Board of Trustees, where he held three separate terms for a total of 20 years.

During that time, Jack gave selflessly of his time and his financial resources. Early in his career he was advised to narrow his personal giving to a few organizations. Recognizing the important role of alumni in educational institutions, he decided to focus on his alma maters. In a 2008 interview he said, “There was no question about it. How would a school keep up without alumni support?” In addition to his own contributions, he worked to increase alumni giving—particularly among the classes celebrating their 50th reunions. He quietly raised the bar when it came to class gifts in honor of the milestone year, an effort that significantly impacted The McDonogh Fund.

From 2004 to 2007 he co-chaired the Becoming Our Best Campaign, which focused on faculty compensation, professional development, and student scholarships. At the time, he spoke about the importance of the campaign to support growth and change. He believed that former scholarship students would be willing to support the place that gave so much to them. The campaign reached its $50 million goal nearly a year early, a testament to Jack and co-chair Henry A. Rosenberg, Jr. ’48 who understood the McDonogh community and their commitment to the future of the school.

He said, “You can’t have a great school without exceptional faculty and students. It’s imperative to have strength in these constituencies. This has been recognized, and the success of the campaign attests to it. The scholarship program has a lot to do with it. Those who attended on scholarship appreciate the opportunities extended to them, and they are motivated to give back.”

Throughout his lifetime, Jack remained quietly dedicated to McDonogh. He supported The McDonogh Fund annually and gave selflessly to fundraising campaigns that focused on students, faculty, and the campus. He made a difference in the future of the School with his positive attitude and integrity. In 2003, more than five decades after earning the McCormick award for his selfless contributions to the football team, he was recognized with the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award—McDonogh’s version of the Unsung Hero Award.

Once a hero, always a hero.