When Whitney Bowman died unexpectedly at the age of 41, he left a tremendous void in the lives of his family, friends, and colleagues. He also left a legacy of support and inspiration for generations of future MBA students. Brittanie Bowman, his wife of 20 years and the mother of their six children, endowed a fellowship in Whitney’s honor on the occasion of what would have been his 15th HBS Reunion.

“The School meant so much to Whitney,” says Brittanie, noting he had dreamed of attending HBS from a young age and spent much of his early life preparing to realize that dream. After attending Brigham Young University on a baseball scholarship and serving as a missionary in Kiev, Ukraine, Whitney went to work at Highland Capital Partners in order to strengthen his HBS application. Being admitted to HBS was one of the best moments of Whitney’s life, says his widow. A few days before classes started, the Bowmans welcomed their third child. “As a young family, we were thrilled to receive fellowship support. It was a big deal for us,” says Brittanie. “Whitney wanted to make sure others had the same opportunities that we did.” He established a current-use fellowship in 2016 in honor of his 10th Reunion.

HBS was a good fit for the couple, who delivered their fourth child just before graduation. “We had such good relationships with his sectionmates and other people he met,” says Brittanie, who is still close to Whitney’s HBS friends. “It was a great experience for him. He loved every second of it.”

The couple met in high school in Texas and moved back there in 2011. “Whitney’s life was cut way too short. I'm so grateful that he got to accomplish so many of his goals,” says Brittanie, highlighting the family life they forged together, spending two years at HBS and making lifelong friends, Whitney’s early career at Bain Capital, and the investment business he helped found and build, Gauge Capital.

Giving back to HBS was very important, offers Brittanie, noting that “Whitney was a mentor to so many people. He wanted to help make students’ experiences at HBS less stressful.” While future generations of HBS students will not be able to benefit directly from Whitney’s wisdom and advice, Brittanie looks forward to telling fellowship recipients about their benefactor. “HBS was such a special place for him,” says Brittanie, who intends to convey his love of the School with fellowship recipients.

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