For Gray Coyner ('08), the decision to
attend Union University was rooted in
a search for personal connection. Coming
from a background where he valued
knowing his instructors, he sought an
environment where he wouldn't be just
another number in a lecture hall.
A campus visit and the opportunity to sit in on a class convinced him that Union offered the welcoming, high-quality academic environment he needed to thrive.
Nearly 20 years after earning his accounting degree, Coyner serves as a principal at Thompson Greenspon in Fairfax, Virginia, and leads the accounting firm's construction and real estate niche. He first joined the firm as an intern in 2007 and was hired as a staff accountant upon graduating from Union.
Coyner credits much of his professional trajectory to the mentorship he received as a student, particularly from professors like Karen Miller, who helped him solidify his path as a public accounting auditor.
"I think it's tremendously impacted my professional career," Coyner said of his time at Union. "The professors and how they pour into their students, how they create a personal connection... really has helped make me continue to be connected."
That sense of connection has inspired Coyner to give back consistently. His philanthropy is multi-faceted: he established an accounting scholarship where Miller selects the recipient, and he remains a dedicated supporter of Enactus.
His most significant contributions, however, focus on campus improvements. Coyner believes the physical environment should be a testament to the caliber of the students and faculty within.
"I think Union has phenomenal highquality education, and I want the campus to match that," he said.
For him, giving back is an extension of how he was raised — to support and invest in his community.
"I consider Union my community," he said. "I want to enable Union to continue to meet its vision and its mission."
