Winthrop “Win” Wassenar ’59 grew up in an average “blue collar” town in Central Massachusetts. Both parents grew up on farms and his dad drove a bakery delivery truck six days a week. Win had little idea what educational goal he might pursue, but knew that most likely it would be local because of financial constraints. Fortunately, a WPI representative came to his high school and inquired of the principal if he knew of any students who had an aptitude for math and science. Win just happened to excel at both. He was called out of class to meet with the WPI representative and his college application process was just about complete at the end of their conversation. Win also shares that he applied to Tufts University. At one point, he considered becoming a dentist. In hindsight, he is grateful that he chose the engineering path at WPI, attributing much of his personal contentment and professional success to the education he received here.
With the help of scholarships, he was able to enroll in the civil engineering program at WPI, commuting back and forth with a few other students from his town. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WPI. Although Win commuted, he developed strong connections to the campus and his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega.
Win’s professional career began as an Engineering Instructor at Wentworth Institute in Boston, but blossomed in 1964, when he moved to Williamstown, MA to work for Williams College. As Director of Facilities in the Facilities Planning and Management department, Win worked with architects and planners from across the United States. Working for Williams gave him his first experiences outside of New England. In 1983, Williams College purchased property in Oxford, England to create the “Williams in Oxford Program,” a yearlong academic program for students in their junior year. Working in Oxford amid the centuries old Oxford University was a transformative experience for him, sparking a lifelong passion for travel and deep appreciation for diverse cultures and experiences around the globe.
Win was the first facilities director to be awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for Academic Administrators in 1989, and in 1991, he also received the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers President’s Award.
As a Fulbright Fellow at Warwick University in Coventry, England, he visited many of the universities in England and Ireland, widening his knowledge of facilities planning and management and learning about the people and history of the UK. Because of this and similar experiences, Win has a deep appreciation for the valuable learning that takes place through travel.
“When students are exposed to other cultures, customs, and practices, they develop empathy, confidence and life skills that can’t be taught in the classroom. These skills stay with them forever.” He believes this is a critical component to the project-based learning at WPI, which is why he established the Winthrop M. Wassenar ’59 Global Projects Scholarship. He has had the pleasure of seeing the impact of his gift with students today. Through a bequest, Win will add to his scholarship at his passing, to create a lasting legacy, ensuring WPI students will continue to have an impact around the world for generations to come.
Win enjoyed a very long and successful career at Williams. He and his wife Vanessa, a consultant to independent schools, colleges, and non-profits, share a love of land, travel, family, and philanthropy. Win was a longstanding member of the Advisory Council of The Trustees of Reservation - the oldest land trust in the US. Today, Win and Vanessa enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren. They travel frequently and split their time between Massachusetts and Florida.