Involvement in the oversight of Brenau University has become a Seng family affair, as evidenced by recently appointed university trustee David F. Seng’s consistent use of the pronoun “we” when referring to Brenau engagement. The first half of the “we” is David’s wife of 46 years, Erin McCabe Seng, BU ’93, who joined the board of trustees in 2004.

The Sengs, who now live in Dahlonega, settled in Georgia in the 1970s. Their contact with Brenau began when Erin enrolled at Brenau’s Norcross campus, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Brenau’s interior design program in 1993. When another member who was an investment management expert left the board, that opened a spot tailor-made for retired financial planning exec David Seng, and he agreed to serve on the board with his wife.

“Erin and I were both raised in families where contributing to the greater good was taught and practiced,” said David. “We are both ‘cradle Catholics,’ and like many people of faith, we were raised to understand our role in life is to do what we can for our community.” 

David Seng graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1963 and earned an MBA from Northwestern University. After service as a U.S. Navy lieutenant, he worked for a major Chicago financial institution as portfolio manager, a Southeast bank in pension and profit sharing management, and Wall Street investment banking firms. David retired in 1998 as a major stakeholder and executive in Atlanta-based investment firm Montag & Caldwell.

“I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the education I received,” David said. “[Because of] the value of education in our lives, investing in Brenau was just… obvious
to us.”

Through their foundation, the Sengs have supported a variety of causes, including Brenau. The values of the nonsectarian institution, particularly in the area of empowering women for greater societal leadership roles, resonate with David and his wife.

“Just as there is this intangible and community-building quality experience in attending a sectarian institution like Notre Dame, we believe this same quality experience takes place in Brenau’s Women’s College,” David said. “There is an intrinsic value to these women living in community, the relationships they form and the preparation for life that they receive through campus involvement and the rigorous academics.”         

 Also, see “A Gift for Language” in the Winter 2008 issue of Brenau Window.