Chris Cirenza '13, President Carol Quillen, Joe Schafer '13 and Chris Mark '13
Finding Your Place: Joe Schafer’s ’13 Journey as a Wildcat
6/1/2022 9:52:00 AM | Men's Tennis, DAF
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When Davidson tennis alum Joe Schafer '13 talks about his time as a Wildcat, his passion for the college and the ways it made a lasting difference in his life take center stage. Among the highlights, he is grateful and humbled to have been awarded the Lowell L. Bryan Scholarship, which led to lifelong friendships and an overwhelming desire to stay connected and give back to alma mater in whatever ways he can.
Hailing from Orchard Park, just south of Buffalo, NY, Joe knew very little about Davidson when he was captivated by the men's basketball team's Elite 8 run in March of 2008, conveniently timed with the tennis recruiting cycle. In addition to Davidson, Joe considered attending Penn State, Notre Dame, Louisville or Northwestern. After one meeting with Joe, Davidson's Head Men's Tennis Coach Drew Barrett nominated him for the full ride scholarship that started in 2000 and is awarded to one female and one male scholar-athlete in each first-year class.
"Joe had the personality that fit what Davidson was looking for in a Bryan Scholar; he had the grades, and he was a top-50 player in the country," Barrett said.
Joe quickly understood what it meant to be nominated for the Bryan Scholarship. When he arrived on campus for the Bryan finalists' weekend, he was the only one to arrive without a parent in tow and, seemingly, the only one not from the South. As a result, he convinced himself he did not fit the mold of a Davidson student but went about the interview process with his best foot forward, regardless.
When the phone rang the next day, and he heard the voice of Gardner Roller Ligo '73 on the other end of the line, he was shocked. That's when he learned he had been selected as the next Davidson College Bryan Scholar, solidifying his decision to become a Wildcat and setting him on his career path, which would lead to the practice of law. An equally welcomed outcome is his position among a league of impressive, successful Davidson graduates who earned the Bryan Scholarship, where he first thought he might not belong.
"Davidson was the only school that was able to reward me for both my athletic performance and my academic performance," he said. "It's a true honor to be a Bryan Scholar. I knew it when I was 18, but I didn't realize what it really meant until after I graduated and saw the impressive Bryan graduates doing some amazing things out in the world."
Joe has deep gratitude and respect for the alum behind the scholarship program, Lowell Bryan '68, and often thinks of him and his philanthropic generosity and the impact it has made and continues to make on his life.
Hard Work and Teamwork
Being a scholar-athlete at Davidson isn't always easy, and it required Joe to make some adjustments to his study habits as he learned to work at the Davidson scholar-athlete level.
"There's something about being a Davidson scholar-athlete – its unlike anything else," he said. "You have to balance a hard course load with a challenging athletic schedule. What we do is pretty grueling, but in some strange way, this is who we are, and we love it."
Davidson taught Joe about work ethic, accountability and discipline. Just as importantly, it taught him about forming strong relationships. Joe Schafer '13 (far right) with his Davidson tennis teammates
"You can't do it alone," he said. "I know I didn't get through my four years at Davidson without Chris [Mark '13] and Kevin [Moore '13] and my other teammates."
He and his teammates remain friends and are in daily contact, checking in about life and continuing to challenge one another.
"These guys have always been there for me, and I don't see that slowing down anytime soon," Joe said.
Joe's gratitude for his experience and his lasting friendships is behind his choice to support today's Wildcats. He is an annual donor and volunteers his time to the college—specifically to the men's tennis program.
"I realized after I graduated that I was more of a Davidson student than I ever gave myself credit for as a student," said Joe. "My Davidson experience was invaluable in terms of shaping who I am. I love to fly the flag for the school because of everything it's done for me."
Today, Joe lives in Buffalo, NY, with his wife, Erin, and their two golden retrievers, Beau and Lou. He practices law and still plays tennis every chance he gets.
