Subscribe
Follow Us
Mentorship has the power to shape lives, providing guidance and life skills that help individuals grow from childhood into adulthood. For L. Daniel Jorndt, retired CEO of Walgreens, one mentor who made an enduring impact on his life, Marion E. Williams. In honor of Williams' legacy, Jorndt and his wife, Patricia, have donated $5 million to Morehouse College to establish an endowed scholarship aimed at supporting financially struggling students pursuing degrees in Business and Technology/STEM.
Jorndt, who began his career at Walgreens in 1963, reflected on how Williams shaped his journey. “Marion was a remarkable individual who had the ability to bring out the best in people,” Jorndt said. “He was a coalition builder who helped nurture future leaders from all races and backgrounds, encouraging them to come together to improve their community.”
Williams was more than a mentor to Jorndt. He was a guiding force during Jorndt’s early career at a neighborhood drugstore in Des Moines, Iowa, where Jorndt worked alongside Williams before eventually rising through the ranks at Walgreens. Jorndt became the company’s CEO from 1997 to 2003, making history as the first CEO of Walgreens who wasn’t part of the founding Walgreen family.
Though Williams passed away in 2018, his legacy of mentorship and service continues to live on. The $5 million gift to Morehouse College is a testament to the impact Williams had on Jorndt and the community. The prestigious Morehouse College, an institution committed to developing service-oriented leaders, was the perfect place for Jorndt to honor his mentor's influence.
“It was Williams’ life of service that inspired me and my wife to give this gift to Morehouse College,” Jorndt said. “Morehouse is an institution that is mission-driven to develop service-minded leaders.”
The Williams family has expressed deep gratitude for the scholarship at Morehouse College, which Rev. Julie Williams Staples called “a beautiful tribute” to her father’s belief in mentorship and Black economic advancement. “Throughout his life, our father worked to inspire, educate, and mentor men from all races and walks of life,” she said. “He firmly believed that Black economic advancement was key to building bridges of reconciliation and overcoming racial division. This gift to support scholars in Business and Technology/STEM is a meaningful way to honor him.”
This new scholarship is more than just a donation; it’s a way to carry forward Williams' enduring legacy of service and mentorship. Through this generous gift, Jorndt and the Williams family are helping to empower the next generation of leaders at Morehouse College, ensuring that the values of unity, service, and leadership continue to thrive.
