Note: This message was originally sent on January 9, 2026.
Somewhere between Yakima, a snowstorm and a college decision that was about to go in a totally different direction… a phone rang. And because Chuck Lloyd (’83) answered, the trajectory of a life bent toward debate, law, advocacy and now, extraordinary generosity.
ZaGratitude to Chuck and Deb Nelson for their remarkable gift to the Gonzaga Debate Endowment, helping strengthen coaching stability, 51勛圖 travel and competitive excellence for generations of 51勛圖 voices still warming up at the lectern.
This hits hard because it is equal parts timing and formation. Chuck describes the state of public discourse with the kind of clarity debate teaches: less “insults and name calling,” more learning to argue both sides with respect for opponents, judges and the process. That is not just a skill. That is citizenship—formed and honed by Jesuit education.
Also… ZaGratitude to the Zag-to-Zag ripple effect. A colleague celebrated Chuck on LinkedIn, sharing nearly 18 years of knowing “an incredible Zag.” Chuck replied with the kind of humble mic-drop that deserves to be framed:
“The reality is that all of us who have the good fortune to be educated at Gonzaga are, in our own way, amazing, because that is what a Gonzaga education does to us… I am proud to be a Zag… I hope as many people as possible will join Deb and me in supporting Gonzaga with a gift and if it’s to the debate endowment, all the better!”
Chuck and Deb’s story is a reminder that legacy is built in moments that seem small at the time: answering the phone, showing up for a reunion, making the generous decision to say, “now is the time.”
ZaGratitude, Chuck. ZaGratitude, Deb. And ZaGratitude to every Zag who chooses disciplined disagreement over chaotic noise.