Impact
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
A MAKING HISTORY PUBLICATION
A Healthy Investment The first recipients of an endowed nursing scholarship share their stories and future plans.
•
FALL 2016
NOT EVERY COLONIAL GETS A
MONUMENT. But every Colonial can make history.
STUDENT SUPPORT CHANGES LIVES: theirs and yours. Make a gift today. CAMPAIGN.GWU.EDU
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FALL 2016
CONTENTS FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
8 COVER STORY:
2 MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT
A HEALTHY INVESTMENT
School of Nursing scholarship recipients talk about how the Johnson-Pawlson Scholarship has paved their way to promising careers
12 A FUTURE FOR
JOURNALISM
$3.2 million planned gift creates endowed professorship in the School of Media and Public Affairs
4 NEWS 14 PERSPECTIVES Corporations and Foundations
AT&T names Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy
Research
Crowdsourcing project shows a different side of Winston Churchill
Why I Give
Professor Emerita Honey W. Nashman shares her motivations for giving
Parents
Walid Wahab, MBA ’88, and his family support Colonials in Miami
18 RAISE HIGH FIVE Five unique funding opportunities supporting arts, medicine, and student services
20 MAKING HISTORY: CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES Student Support
Hear from six students whose lives have been changed thanks to scholarships
Student Services
Learn about all the ways philanthropy enhances the student experience, from health services to internships
24 PHOTO FINISH Alumni Weekend 2016
NOTHING’S GOING TO STOP US NOW Our Making History campaign goal of $1 billion is fast approaching, and we are full steam ahead. With $900 million raised toward our goal, we thank the 61,000 campaign donors— including nearly 40,000 alumni—for getting us here. Our alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, corporate and foundation partners, and friends have banded together to increase support for financial aid, research initiatives, centers and institutes, endowed professorships, and student programs and services. We are particularly proud that we have increased alumni engagement over the past year. The contributions GW graduates make to the university through philanthropic support, student mentoring, and campus programming have enriched the student experience beyond what we can quantify. And we will keep going, not just until the goal is reached or until the end of the campaign. Forever. As we close in on $1 billion, we are putting even greater emphasis on support for student aid and services. In this issue of Impact, you will meet students who inspire our never-stop attitude and the generous donors who make their success possible. These women and men exemplify the Colonial spirit—they are service-oriented, hardworking, and driven. Furthermore, their dreams are our dreams, so we keep going. On page 8, you will meet Kayla Magee, Morgan Rollo, and Juan Carlos Torres, three School of Nursing recipients of the Johnson-Pawlson Endowed Scholarship Fund who are eager to help people through excellent patient care and health education. On page 20, you will meet six more incredible students from all corners of the university—and the world—who are applying their scholarships and fellowships, strong character, and never-quit mentality to succeed in business, education, medicine, politics, law, and international affairs, and, ultimately, to improve the world. You will also learn on page 22 how we are supporting students beyond scholarships in areas such as career and professional development; community, citizenship, and leadership; and wellbeing. These students join all Colonials, who are using their GW degrees to discover, innovate, and inspire. As alumni, they will carry that industrious spirit in service to their communities for the rest of their lives. Thank you for supporting present and future Colonials—let’s keep going together! GW
Sincerely,
Aristide J. Collins, Jr. Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Secretary of the University The George Washington University
2 Impact | FALL 2016
I AM HELPING FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS SUCCEED Support students like Gaby by making your annual gift today. Gaby Madrid, GWSPH ’17
go.gwu.edu/studentsupport
Impact
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY A MAKING HISTORY PUBLICATION
EDITOR
Amanda Charney
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Craig Burdick Joan Ochi Julia Parmley, MPS ’10 Lauren Savoy, MA ’15
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mary Follin Veronica Hughes James Irwin Michele Lynn
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY Steven Knapp
VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS AND SECRETARY OF THE UNIVERSITY Aristide J. Collins, Jr.
INTERIM SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS Matthew Lindsay, MBA ’07
NEWS
MUSEUM RECEIVES MAJOR GIFT FROM THE AVENIR FOUNDATION The Avenir Foundation—based in Lakewood, Colorado—made a $5 million contribution to the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. The first installment of the gift came in 2014 and enabled the museum to purchase custom collections storage cabinetry and to increase the endowment for the Margaret Wing Dodge Chair of Conservation, established by the foundation in 1997 at The Textile Museum. The balance, made in March 2016, created the Avenir Foundation Endowment for Textile Museum Conservation, which supports the work of conservators, fellows, and interns. In addition, the gift is underwriting the purchase of state-of-the-art conservation equipment and technology to enhance long-term care for the 20,000-piece Textile Museum collection.
In recognition of the foundation’s generous donation—which is among the largest the museum has received—the museum’s collections storage and conservation facility, located at GW’s Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, has been named the Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
William Atkins Abby Greenawalt Nga Le Michael Leong Logan Werlinger
DESIGN
Michelle Wandres Impact is published by the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, The George Washington University, 2033 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20052. Please send change-of-address notices to us online at alumni.gwu.edu/update, via email to alumrecs@gwu.edu, or by post to Alumni Records, 2033 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20052. Opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect official positions of the university. The George Washington University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Cover image: Abby Greenawalt
Do you have questions, comments, or suggestions? Contact us at gwimpact@gwu.edu.
4 Impact | FALL 2016
MERRILY, MERRILY, MERRILY
GW men’s rowing alum Dave Wilson, BS ‘87, provided a seed gift of $200,000 to establish an endowment to benefit the rowing program. A member of the George Washington Athletics Advisory Council, Wilson rowed for the Colonials from 1982-86 before graduating with a degree in electrical engineering from the School of Engineering & Applied Science. He currently serves as president of Invario Network Engineers. The substantial gift will support the purchase of new racing shells, scholarships, and team travel. A trip to compete at the Royal Henley Regatta is also being explored, with travel costs
offset by funds from the endowment. “I see establishing an endowment for GW Rowing not just as a source of funding for new boats, but as a way to further develop our community,” said Wilson. “I have been involved with GW Rowing for 28 years, and I see a lot of great synergies coming together now that make this the ideal time to expand our community.” He hopes that his gift will encourage fellow alumni to follow his lead so the rowing program continues to thrive in the years ahead. “I want fellow alums, parents, and friends to be following GW Rowing with not only race results, but as invested advisors.”
æ Visit gwimpact.org for more Impact news and stories.
NEW LEADERSHIP AT THE CISNEROS HISPANIC LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Elizabeth Vaquera, noted helping students gain educator and scholar the leadership skills and of Latino immigration confidence needed to and ethnicity, is the apply to, attend, and new director of the graduate from a selecGW Cisneros Hispanic tive university. It encomLeadership Institute, passes scholarship and which was established mentorship support for Elizabeth Vaquera in 2015 through a mulselect GW students who timillion-dollar gift from demonstrate a commitGW alumnus Gilbert ment to leadership and Cisneros, BA ‘94, and community service and his wife, Jacki Cisneros, who want to give back to cultivate diversity to the Hispanic commuin learning and foster nity. The institute also leadership opportunities. provides opportunities In addition, Louis Calfor students, faculty, Louis Caldera dera, former University and fellows to conduct of New Mexico president and publish research and secretary of the Army, will help on policy issues facing the Hispanic lead the institute. He will serve as community. the institute’s senior fellow, teaching, The institute is also home to the conducting research, and making Caminos al Futuro Pre-College strategic connections with commuSummer Program for academically nity, philanthropic, government, and talented rising high school seniors nongovernmental organizations. who are involved in leadership and Both Vaquera and Caldera are service activities. The annual program cognizant of the challenges facing integrates an on-campus cross-discifirst-generation immigrants and plinary educational experience with first-generation students through opportunities to interact with comtheir personal experiences, and both munity and international leaders and are committed to drawing from those engage in service-learning activities. experiences to advance the institute’s Daniel Martinez, who led the mission of leadership development institute on an interim basis during and academic support. its inaugural year, will remain as its The Cisneros Institute focuses on associate director.
THE STARR FOUNDATION SUPPORTS GLOBAL BACHELOR’S PROGRAM The Starr Foundation donated $1 million to GW’s new Global Bachelor’s program, which offers students in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Elliott School of International Affairs, and GW School of Business the opportunity to spend multiple semesters abroad as part of their GW studies. This program enables students to graduate with significant international experience, having explored and learned to adapt to diverse social, cultural, and academic situations in at least three countries. Successful completion of the program will earn participants a Global Bachelor’s designation on their GW transcripts. Cornelius Vander Starr, founder of C.V. Starr & Co. Inc., established The Starr Foundation in 1955. C.V. Starr & Co. Inc. created the American International Group (AIG), which under Maurice R. Greenberg, Starr’s successor, became the largest insurance and financial services company in the world. Starr was a pioneer of globalization and, in keeping with his international perspective, the foundation has supported many programs that encourage the education of U.S. students abroad and students from foreign countries in the U.S. The first cohort of 25 students—drawn from all three schools—was selected in spring 2016 and this fall will begin its Global Bachelor’s program studies. In spring 2017, they will participate in a semester-long residency in China. “This group of GW students will build a community through their shared experience,” said Steve Suranovic, associate professor of economics in the Columbian College, who is the faculty director for the program. “We are grateful to The Starr Foundation for its support in building this community and enhancing these students’ educational outcomes, their abilities to thrive in the workplace, and their understanding of global issues.”
MELANOMA FOUNDATION GRANT The Melanoma Research Foundation has awarded $500,000 to a team of researchers being led by Alejandro Villagra, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The grant will fund the team’s research to improve efficiency of the immune system to attack and control cancer.
Alejandro Villagra
Villagra’s team includes Eduardo M. Sotomayor, MD, director of the GW Cancer Center, and Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, deputy director at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at the NYU Langone Medical Center. The researchers are working to merge two different therapies, immunotherapy and an epigenetic modifier, in an effort to help people’s own bodies recognize the cancer and fight it, Villagra said.
MAKING HISTORY: THE CAMPAIGN FOR GW 5
NEWS
EAGLEBANK FOUNDATION SUPPORTS NEW MAMMOVAN CCAS ALUM GIVES BACK Adam Weisler, BA ’90, has fond memories of his political science studies and his participation in the Politics and Values program, an Academic Residential Community (ARC) for first-year students at GW. So it seems fitting that Weisler, a high school social sciences teacher in New York, is supporting GW by making a gift through his estate plan that connects to his interests. His contribution will establish two endowed funds within the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences: the Weisler Secondary Educators Endowed Prize, to be awarded competitively to select students who are pursuing careers in secondary education and counseling; and the Weisler Summer Internship Stipend Endowment Fund, to provide stipends for students in the Politics and Values ARC who pursue internships the summer following their freshman year. ARCs allow students to bring critical thinking and reflection into the residential experience, combining academically robust conversation, both inside and outside of the classroom, with other engaging and fun activities. As both an alumnus of the program and a dedicated teacher, Weisler hopes his gift will create exciting opportunities for students whose interests are similar to his own.
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The EagleBank Foundation has made a gift of $750,000 to the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) for a new GW Mammovan and the accompanying state-of-the-art imaging technology and equipment that will be housed in the van. GW’s Mobile Mammography Program began in 1996 with a singular, ambitious goal of making life-saving, early detection of breast cancer possible for all women throughout metropolitan Washington, regardless of their ability to pay. Today, it is one of the many programs housed under the GW Cancer Center. The Mammovan— a self-contained mobile unit—travels to corporate and community sites, offering onestop screening in a comfortable, convenient environment. SMHS has a tradition of dedication to health equity in our communities through research, service, education, and advocacy. Through the generous support of the EagleBank Foundation
Donald R. Rogers, Chairman of the EagleBank Foundation, with Dr. Rachel Brem, Vice Chair of Radiology and Director, Breast Imaging and Intervention Center, and Andrew Bridge, member of the EagleBank Foundation Board of Directors in front of the current Mammovan. and other sponsors, including Kiehl’s, Safeway, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Brem Foundation, and Pfizer, the Mammovan is advancing efforts to improve the health of diverse populations, particularly the underserved and vulnerable.
GRAND OPENING: THE NATIONAL CHURCHILL LIBRARY AND CENTER The GW Libraries celebrated the grand opening of the National Churchill Library and Center (NCLC), the first research center dedicated to the study of Sir Winston Churchill in our nation’s capital, on October 29, 2016. The new center’s research resources and interdisciplinary academic programs will offer GW students, faculty, researchers, and the public the opportunity to examine the life and legacy of Churchill. The NCLC, launched through a philanthropic partnership between the International Churchill Society and GW, is housed on the first floor of the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library. A major feature is an interactive virtual exhibit for visitors to explore Churchill’s life. Researchers further have access to a small circulating collection of works by and about Churchill, the electronic Churchill Archives database, and a set of orig-
inal calendar cards used by Churchill during World War II. “The NCLC will introduce Winston Churchill and his place in world history to the next generation of leaders,” said Geneva Henry, dean of libraries and academic innovation. “Churchill can serve as an important lens through which students can explore the concept of leadership and we are enthusiastic about the potential of this new program.” Michael Bishop has joined GW as the director of the NCLC, a position made possible with generous funding from Laurence Geller and the International Churchill Society. A trained historian, Bishop has published articles and reviews on Churchill, World War I, Lincoln, and other subjects regularly in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Review, and elsewhere.
æ Visit gwimpact.org for more Impact news and stories.
TWO ENDOWED PROFESSORS INSTALLED AT GW Two notable researchers were installed in endowed professorships this fall at GW. On October 24, internationally renowned neuroscientist Kevin A. Pelphrey was formally installed as the Carbonell Family Professor of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, an endowment created by a gift from The Nelson A. and Michele Carbonell Family Foundation in 2014. As the inaugural Carbonell professor
Carbonells’ son are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. “It’s one of the greatest honors of my life,” Pelphrey said. “I promise I will earn this.” The installation ceremony featured remarks by Carbonell, Akman, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Forest Maltzman, and featured
“Don’t be surprised if in the future I ask you for your help to make the impossible possible and to prove the naysayers wrong,” he said. Ceremony speakers included President Knapp, Provost Maltzman, Elliott School of International Affairs Dean Reuben E. Brigety II, and Santiago Levy, vice president of Inter-American Development
and founding director of the Autism
speaker Gerald D. Fischbach, chief scien-
Bank.
“It’s one of the greatest honors of my life. I promise I will earn this.”
“Don’t be surprised if in the future I ask you for your help to make the impossible possible.”
— Kevin A. Pelphrey
— James E. Foster
and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute at GW, Pelphrey will refine and implement the vision of the institute to serve as a resource that offers evidencebased clinical treatments and conducts research on the full spectrum of autism. In partnership with Children’s National Medical Center, the institute will focus particularly on adults with autism, a rarely covered age range in the field. Pelphrey, who is also professor of pharmacology and physiology, will establish a “world-class collaborative hub for translational research,” that will improve the lives of patients, said Jeffrey Akman, dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and vice president
tist and fellow at the Simon Foundation. Economist James E. Foster was installed as the Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professor in International Affairs in the Elliott School of International Affairs on November 1. The endowment was created by a gift from Oliver T. Carr, Jr., chairman emeritus of the GW Board of Trustees. Foster’s areas of expertise include international economic development; inequality and poverty; and economic theory and policy. His research focuses on welfare economics—using economic tools to evaluate and enhance the wellbeing of people. His joint 1984 Econometrica paper with Joel Greer and Erik Thorbecke is one of the most cited papers on poverty.
Chairman and chief executive officer of The Oliver Carr Company, Carr has also endowed The Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Scholarships in Urban and Regional Development and the Oliver T. Carr, Jr. Professorship of Urban and Regional Development, both in the GW School Business. He received an honorary Doctorate of Public Service from GW in 1998. A distinguished real estate entrepreneur, Carr was recognized at the ceremony for his continuing support of the George Washington University and for his work to revitalize downtown Washington after the riots of the late 1960s. Carr said there’s a “great confluence” of interests between his work and the
for health affairs. The honor was a personal one for Pelphrey and the donors, George Washington University Board of Trustees Chair Nelson Carbonell, Jr., BS ’85, and Michele Carbonell. Pelphrey’s daughter and the
At the ceremony, Foster discussed the real-world impact of his work on poverty, telling the audience his “impossible dream” would be to reassess the way the United States defines and measures poverty.
university’s initiatives and, having taken a course at GW and taught classes before his leadership on the board, he remarked that “many of my formative years were spent at GW, and those years are greatly appreciated.”
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A Healthy
Investment The first recipients of an endowed nursing scholarship share their stories and future plans. by Michele Lynn
8 Impact | FALL 2016
May 20, 2015 was a red letter day in the life
of Juan Carlos Torres, SON ’17. “I was pushing my daughter, Laila, in her bassinet to the nursery (on the day she was born),” says Juan Carlos. “As I pulled out my phone to take a picture of her, I got an email from GW saying that I had been accepted into the program.” Soon after, Juan Carlos’ wife, Marisa Wiswell, received her acceptance and they became the first married couple to attend GW’s nursing school together. “When we started in nursing school, our baby was 3 months old,” says Juan Carlos. “I would study one hour and then my wife would pass the baby to me so she could study; we did this every night throughout the first semester of nursing school.” With the couple studying full time and caring for a young child, even having a part-time job was impossible because the cost of child care exceeded the potential income. “While we saved some money to come to nursing school, it’s been a struggle,” says Juan Carlos. “We are so thankful that GW and this scholarship gave us the opportunity to make our dreams come true.” That scholarship—the Johnson-Pawlson Scholarship for Enhanced Quality and Safety— was endowed by Jean Johnson, PhD ’93, and L. Gregory Pawlson, MD, who have shared a commitment to health and healing throughout their careers. The $190,000 fund created by this husband and wife team provides one needbased scholarship each year for an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing student
(ABSN) in the School of Nursing who demonstrates an interest in patient safety and quality improvement and includes those areas in his or her coursework while in the program. “Support of students through scholarship funds has such an immediate impact,” says Jean, founding dean and professor at GW’s School of Nursing. “We wanted to give deserving students a chance to have a career that we think is incredibly rewarding.” Morgan Rollo, SON ’17, another of the scholarship recipients, originally planned to be a physician. “But within three days of starting the BSN program, I knew that nursing is exactly the field I should be in and GW is exactly the place I should be,” she says. “I quickly learned that nursing is a balance of science and compassion. Nursing encompasses all of the things in health care in which I’m interested: being at the bedside, working as an educator, and providing holistic care.” She says that receiving the scholarship was a huge relief. “As somebody with considerable student loans who is paying for this program by myself, this financial support will enable me to more comfortably take out additional debt to further my education in the future,” she says. “I know that my education is worth the cost, but having the financial burden lessened is such a gift. I am so amazed at Dr. Johnson and Dr. Pawlson’s ambition, drive, and passion and their commitment to making a difference in the nursing field, not just in quality and safety, but in nursing education.”
Like Morgan, Juan Carlos was intent on becoming a doctor while growing up in Puerto Rico. He attended medical school in Mexico until a drug cartel-related shooting in the hospital where he worked made him decide to move to the U.S. “Since I couldn’t transfer my credits to a U.S. med school, I needed to either start from scratch or see what other options I had.” After learning about BSN/nurse practitioner programs, Juan Carlos knew that he had found his path. “Nursing is a career that is always evolving since new evidence-based research is constantly developing,” he says. “Every year you are learning new techniques to be a better nurse. And nurses have the capacity to impact so many lives on a daily basis.” Morgan was able to have an impact overseas when she traveled to Ecuador in March 2016, along with three classmates and a professor, through GW’s Global Initiative Program. ”We focused on community-based health at local health clinics and day care centers in MAKING HISTORY: THE CAMPAIGN FOR GW
9
Quito, doing pediatric assessments on children ranging from 3 to 10 years old,” she says. “For many of the kids, it was their only chance to be seen by a medical professional.” Morgan says she was grateful to have the ability to become a better nurse. “The people there were leaning on us and trusting our assessments, which forced us to trust our own assessments, and our own skills,” she says. “It was also a great opportunity to see how culture and society play a role in health.” She says that GW’s simulation lab has been a boon to her training. “It’s so great to have a place to practice skills in a safe setting before working on patients,” she says. “Experiences like (Ecuador) open my eyes to the needs of others,” says Morgan. “I think it’s important to be a global citizen and knowledgeable about other cultures, especially in areas like D.C., which is very diverse and where I plan to work. I bring that perspective and those skills with me wherever I work.” Jean agrees. “Like medicine, nursing is now a global field,” she says. “Given that I was a young international traveler between getting my degree in economics and going to nursing school, I think that Morgan’s experience is great. I would not be surprised if she decides to do something in the international arena.” In fact, Morgan hopes to work with the American Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders in the future, and in the nearer term plans to work in an ICU trauma center. She also wants to further her education by earning a graduate degree and becoming a nurse practitioner. “With nursing, there is an endless amount of possibility: higher education, research, and traveling,” she says. “As a field, it’s unlimited.” Juan Carlos also plans to attend graduate school, with the intention of earning a doctorate of nursing practice and ultimately teaching at the School of Nursing. “Dr. Pawlson told me that he had a scholarship for med school and that because he knows the burden of student loans, he is trying to help other students.” He adds that Jean’s encouragement to pursue a DNP was a great support. “(Juan Carlos) has a really clear idea of his future career path and it’s humbling to know that we can be a small part of his doing that,” Jean says. Greg, an adjunct faculty member at the School of Nursing who has held high-profile positions in academic medicine, public policy/governmental organizations, and the private sector, says, “We have devoted our careers to teaching, so being able to help give Juan Carlos the opportunity to think and dream about teaching is very rewarding.” GW
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The Birth of a Nurse Kayla Magee, SON ’18, who began the ABSN program this past August, was inspired to become a nurse by the care she received during her pregnancy. “As a junior in college at GW, I had a baby and that flipped my world,” she says. “I worked with nurse midwives who were responsible for my care and made a very profound impact on me.” Kayla’s son, Wilson, was admitted into the NICU after his birth, leaving her feeling overwhelmed. “Spending a couple of weeks in the NICU as a very young, new mother was challenging,” she says. “I had a few nurses taking care of him who sat with me, taught me how to take care of him, and encouraged me in a way that was life changing.” She hopes to have that same impact on the lives of others through her nursing career. The Johnson-Pawlson Scholarship makes it possible for her to pursue her calling. “Right before I received the letter saying I had received the scholarship, I had a conversation with my husband during which I cried and said that my going back to school would be too difficult for us,” says Kayla. “The letter came at a time when I really needed that financial security and the reassurance that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” Kayla and her husband, Greg, are the parents of Wilson, now 4, and daughter Anora, 18 months. “In their generosity, Drs. Johnson and Pawlson have made an investment not only in my future but in the future of my whole family, allowing my children and my immediate family to flourish in our lives,” says Kayla. “Their philanthropy has been not only a huge financial gift, but a real confidence booster for me. They have invested in me and I can invest that same energy and confidence in myself and I can, in turn, help others.”
BRAIN to choose the best way to support GW.
EYES to envision a brighter future for GW and the world.
EARS to hear the call to action.
HEART to house loyalty for GW.
SHOULDERS to ease the burden of the cost of higher education for GW students.
HANDS to lift all Colonials.
GUT to follow— wherever it may lead.
ANATOMY OF A
DONOR
ARMS to raise high the buff and blue.
Donors to the George Washington University come in all shapes and sizes, but at heart they share a philanthropic physiology and a
LOVE FOR GW.
FEET to walk to the beat of your own drum.
LEGS to stand up for what you believe in.
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Alumna Char Beales and GWSB Professor Howard Beales make history with $3.2 million bequest to create professorship of accountability in journalism at School of Media and Public Affairs. by Joan Ochi
A FUTURE FOR
JOURNALISM As a pioneer in the nascent cable television industry,
Char Beales, BA ’73, recalled the days when few people knew what CNN and ESPN were and cable television programming was not eligible for Emmy Awards. She compared the evolution of cable to the more recent explosion of internet-based media, where the difference is that low barriers to entry enable almost anyone to declare him or herself a journalist. To ensure accountability and accuracy are not left behind in the changing landscape of journalism, Char and her husband, Howard Beales, professor and chair of the Department of Strategic Management and Public Policy in the GW School of Business, pledged $3.2 million to the GW School of Media and Public Affairs to fund an endowed professorship. The gift, which is a bequest commitment from the Beales’ estate, will create the Char Beales Endowed
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Professorship of Accountability in Journalism, a position that will advance academic research in this area. The bequest is the largest single gift in the history of the School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA), which is dedicated to the study of media, journalism, and political communication. “We are deeply grateful to Char and Howard for their commitment to George Washington and their extraordinary generosity in making this splendid gift to the School of Media and Public Affairs,” says President Steven Knapp. “Accuracy and accountability in journalism are essential to the preservation of our democracy, and this new professorship will ensure that those values are studied and taught in the heart of our nation’s capital.” Char grew up in the small town of North Bend on the Oregon coast. “My parents were of modest means, and they said if I went to a state school for two years, I could transfer anywhere I wanted,” she says. When Char was 16, she took a trip east to visit her sister, who was in graduate school at Temple University in Philadelphia—and fell in love with D.C. So after two years at the University of Oregon, she applied to transfer to GW, attracted to the university by its strong debate program. “It was the only place I applied,” she says. “Luckily, I got in!”
inspiration to work with her,” says Frank Sesno, director of the school. “The Beales professorship is a tremendous expression ABOVE: Front row, from left: Char of Char’s deep commitment to Beales, Steven the future of journalism, GW, and Knapp, and Howard SMPA. It is an investment in the Beales, pictured with university country itself, because holding and development the powerful to account is a pillar leadership. of journalism and central to our democracy. The research and teaching that this gift supports will lead the way for generations to come.” Char has been an active volunteer with GW’s Making History campaign, serving as the SMPA campaign chair. She and Howard were inspired to create an The rest is history, because she met her husband, Howard, who was a student at endowed professorship by their belief that endowed Georgetown University, in a debate round at a tournament in Boston, and the couple faculty positions are key in attracting and retaining topmarried in 1973. notch academics and bolstering the university’s overall Following her graduation from GW with a degree in speech communication, Char profile and reputation. held several jobs in communications and broadcasting. But while doing research for “Given the explosion of student debt, it makes a job interview, she serendipitously happened onto a new opportunity at the National complete sense that the campaign is focused on Cable Television Association and was hired by its then-president, Tom Wheeler, now raising money for financial aid for students, and the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Thus began a long and we’ve done a good job of that,” she says. “But GW successful career in the cable industry, including serving as the president and CEO has an obligation to fulfill the other side of that barof the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing. gain—when those students come to GW, we need to Char was not involved with GW in the early years of her career. “In fact, GW had ensure they have access to a world-class faculty, and lost track of me,” she says. But with endowed professorships support the couple’s children, Jeremy and that.” Howard adds, “The research Kristen, growing up, Char found herside of the university is one of the Planned giving is a source of long-term support for the self with more time to give. In another least well-funded. There are other twist of serendipity, one of her former notable universities where every university, enabling it to provide financial aid, hire the highestemployees, Jon Helmrich, BA ‘80, was professor is an endowed profesquality professors, conduct groundbreaking research, and a member of SMPA’s National Counsor, and that’s something to which provide state-of-the-art facilities far into the future. cil for Media and Public Affairs, the GW must aspire.” Charitable bequest intentions—through a will, living advisory body for the school, and was By setting a leadership giving trust, charitable gift remainder trust, or similar vehicle—are preparing to give up his seat as his example, Char and Howard hope increasingly popular ways to support institutions like GW and term ended. He recommended Char to encourage others to give as well. benefit students, faculty, and programs for generations to for the opening, and she joined the “SMPA is on a trajectory to be a topcome. Your gift also entitles your estate to an unlimited federal council in 2002, serving as its chair tier media school, and more support estate tax charitable deduction. since 2010. will make that happen more quickly,” More than $100 million has been committed “Char Beales has been a leader says Char. “We want this gift to motiæ Learn more at to the university through bequest intentions at the School of Media and Public vate others to join us in supporting go.gwu.edu/ during the Making History campaign. Affairs. It has been an honor and an the university and SMPA.” GW plannedgiving. LEFT: Char Beales and GW President Steven Knapp.
Charitable Bequest Intentions
MAKING HISTORY: THE CAMPAIGN FOR GW
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CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
A FOR INDIGENOUS POLITICS AND POLICY
T&T Names GW Center
AT&T increases long-term support of GW programs benefitting Native communities
Students in GW’s Native American Political Leadership Program with Joanne Rashbaum and Tom Brooks of AT&T.
by Julia Parmley WITH ITS LOCATION in the heart of the nation’s capital, the George Washington University offers unparalleled opportunities for students and faculty to drive change and to identify ways to make a lasting contribution locally and globally. Since 2006, approximately 200 Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students have developed their academic and leadership skills in Washington, D.C., through GW’s Native American Political Leadership Program (NAPLP) and the INSPIRE Native Teens Pre-College Program. These opportunities have been provided thanks to more than 10 years of support from the AT&T Foundation, which recently increased its long-term commitment to name the new AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy (CIPP). Housed in GW’s College of Professional Studies, CIPP will be the only university-based center in the United States whose purpose is to research, educate, and promote political analysis and research on issues of significance to Native communities, including public health, adequate housing, economic security, and culturally appropriate and accessible education on a national level. “While [NAPLP and INSPIRE] were designed to increase interest and capabilities among the next generation of Native peoples, we wanted to provide more comprehensive programming for indigenous peoples in a larger context,” says Assistant Professor
of Political Management Gregory G. Lebel. “This center offers us the opportunity to offer our unique GW perspective and expertise on the political process in both issue advocacy and electoral politics to a larger Native audience.” CIPP will focus on research, shared practices, and political awareness in conjunction with GW’s current academic programs. The center will also offer important support to Native communities and advocacy organizations and ongoing support to alumni in pursuing public policy agendas that will benefit their members in areas including health, education, housing, and other instances of critical need. GW’s longstanding partnership with AT&T has provided NAPLP and INSPIRE participants with special opportunities in the District and beyond, most recently the chance to attend the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. These experiences help them develop the skills, outlook, and contacts necessary to generate and sustain change both — Gregory G. Lebel in Washington and in their local communities. “AT&T has been a strong, active partner in our programs since the very beginning,” says Greg. “That support has given us confidence to be creative in programming and to think big ideas about what else we can do.” By supporting GW’s programs focused on Native communities and naming the GW Center for Indigenous Politics and Policy, the AT&T Foundation recognizes the university’s strong track record in addressing challenges facing Native communities and shaping the next generation of Native student leaders. GW
“AT&T has been
a strong, active partner in our programs since the very beginning.”
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RESEARCH
Crowdsourcing Project Shows a Different Side of Winston Churchill
THE CALENDAR ENTRY in Winston that made the initial leadership gift to Churchill’s engagement diary for Nov establish the National Churchill Library ember 14, 1939—written in italicized and Center at GW. Churchill’s engageshorthand and faded black ink—reads: ment diary was gifted to the GW Librar“6:00 Gen. Sikorski (Private Door).” ies for use in the center. Churchill is First Lord of the Admiralty, “We are delighted to receive this fana position he will hold for only eight tastic record that gives us a window into months before becoming British Prime part of Winston Churchill’s life during Minister. Władysław Sikorski is prime World War II,” says Geneva Henry, dean minister of the Polish government-in-exof libraries and academic innovation. ile. World War II is 75 days old. Library staff members created “This was just two months after Gerhigh-resolution digital images of the many and the Soviet Union invaded two-sided, 12- by 13-inch cards which by James Irwin Poland,” says Rachel Trent, digital seroutline Churchill’s wartime leadership vices manager at Gelman Library. “It’s and activities between September 1939 this quiet notation in the calendar, and it’s interesting because you can and June 1945, as recorded by private secretaries. Students, faculty, see the story of how he met with this leader and had to do it secretly.” and the public were invited to help transcribe these appointments, Churchill’s engagement diary is part of the National Churchill Library day by day, through a crowdsourcing website. and Center (NCLC) at the George Washington University, which is the A GW history class also assisted with the transcription effort. The first permanent home in our nation’s capital for the study of Winston scribbled notes in the diary contain large quantities of data—patterns Churchill. The meeting, research, and learning space, housed on the and rhythms in Churchill’s daily activities. In addition to transcribing ground floor of Gelman Library, opened on October 29. and reviewing material, students in Jennifer Bertolet’s digital history The original engagement diary cards used by Winston Churchill course are pulling that data (including dates, times, and locations) during World War II are now available to researchers through the and mapping it visually. GW Libraries. “It really is amazing to look at some mapping projects and how Earlier this year, the GW Libraries launched an initiative to crowd- they get you to look at history in a different way,” said Bertolet, MA source the transcription of Churchill’s World War II engagement ’95, PhD ’07, a visiting professor in the history department. “And diary, a collection of handwritten cards detailing the famed British crowdsourcing has opened up this whole other world for history Prime Minister’s appointments during WWII. Chairman of Forbes buffs who want to participate in something like this, but have jobs Media Steve Forbes donated the collection of 30 cards to the Chica- in other fields.” GW go-based Churchill Centre, an international education organization This story originally appeared on GW Today.
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WHY I GIVE
Honey W. Nashman Professor Emerita by Craig Burdick
“GW IS A GREAT UNIVERSITY WITH A HEART,” says Honey W. Nashman, associate professor emerita of sociology and human services. And she should know. “Our children were born at the GW Hospital; my husband, Alvin, has an honorary degree from GW and served on the board of the [Virginia Science and Technology Campus]; our three daughters graduated from GW; their husbands are GW graduates; our grandson is currently attending GW; and I spent 43 glorious years on the faculty as director of the Human Services and Social Justice program in the Sociology Department.” Last fall, Honey and her husband presented GW with a blended gift—an outright gift combined with a promised gift in their estate. Today, the newly named Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service integrates civic engagement into GW’s educational program. Honey says she and her husband decided to support the Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service because of its strong leadership and the way it effectively involved GW faculty in the scholarship of engagement. In addition, they believe their gift can have a “multiplying effect in the nation’s capital and the global community, and that it can be an opportunity for asset building on the existing strength of the center’s current programs and mission,” says Honey. Through the Nashman Center’s 70 service-learning courses and many co-curricular community service
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and social innovation programs, approximately 9,200 GW students and members of the university community provided more than 658,000 hours of service in the 2015-16 academic year. According to leadership organization Independent Sector, the value of a volunteer hour for the District of Columbia in 2015 was $38.77, putting the center’s impact at more than $25 million. “The Nashman Center has been the best part of my GW experience,” says senior Sara Durrani, CCAS ’17, who has spent many school breaks serving alongside various communities through Alternative Breaks. “I would not be who I am, nor would I have the perspectives and experiences I do, without this place. I will be forever motivated and ready to play an active part in my community.” As the only child of Eastern European immigrants, the greatest impact on Honey’s outlook on life came from her family. Her father spent his first few weeks in America, at age 11, on a bench in Foggy Bottom around what is now James Monroe Park. Her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer before Honey’s 50th birthday, lived for 20 years with the disease. “From this, I developed a deep appreciation for life and social justice,” says Honey. A fiercely elegant instructor, she can also be mischievously blunt. When asked how others can support the George Washington University, Honey doesn’t mince words. “What are you waiting for?“ she asks. “Celebrate with the recipients the impact and joy of your giving.” By making both an immediate gift as well as a provision in her estate plans to fund the Nashman Center, Honey has been able to celebrate her values with recipients like GW senior Matthew Weisberg, GWSPH ’17. “The Nashman Center not only helps students realize the impact of community engagement, but is a community itself, motivating us to learn outside of our comfort zones,” says Matthew. “Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’ I learned this quote in a Nashman Center program, and it perfectly sums up why service and this center are important to GW student life.” You might even say the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service is the heart at the center of GW. GW
PARENTS
PARENT VOLUNTEER SUPPORTS COLONIALS IN MIAMI by Amanda Charney
ALUMNUS AND PARENT WALID WAHAB, MBA ’88, remembers exactly how he got involved with GW as a volunteer. “A young man came to see me at the office. He charmed my private assistant over the phone and next thing I knew I had a meeting with him in my office,” he says, adding, “It shows the power of getting through the first person that answers the phone.” The young recruiter’s savvy worked on Walid. “Before I knew it, I was involved with the Luther Rice Society, then as an interviewer for local high schools, then onto joining the board of the School of Business. Soon thereafter I became a friend to our great president, Steven Knapp.” After graduating from the University of Miami, Walid and a good friend, Dora Puig, MBA ‘88, were exploring MBA programs in New York and D.C. They both chose GW because of the School of Business programs that spoke to their interests. Walid received his degree in logistics, operations, and
materials management, equipping him with the tools to build and grow WAHAB Construction, a LEED-certified general contractor and construction management firm for numerous commercial and residential projects in Miami. “This education cleared the way for me to achieve my vision, one of exclusivity in my market,” he says. “Today, my close friend Dora is one of the top real estate brokers in Miami, and my firm, WAHAB Construction, enjoys being at the top of the field in high-end construction.” As a volunteer, he and his wife, Susie, BBA ’89, who Walid met at GW, give back to the university by hosting events, interviewing prospective students, and lending advice and expertise by serving on boards. He got involved because he saw how dedicated GW’s leadership and staff are about their mission to help students. “When I met President Knapp and his team and witnessed firsthand all the hard work and dedication to higher education and the school, one could not help but get motivated. I admired them and they inspired me to stay involved,” he says. It was also his family who kept him busy with GW. His son, Nadim, BA ‘16, nephew, Shafic, BA ‘07, and niece, Dana, BA ‘14, all attended GW, keeping Walid connected with his alma mater and watching it evolve over the years. “We visited them often, and their healthy time in D.C. inspired me further to stay involved at a higher level and by dedicating more time to whatever the college needed in Miami,” he says. Since he attended GW, a lot has changed, in particular the physical spaces that bring students together in creative ways. “The new facilities such as the Science and Engineering Hall are inspiring.” Walid has been instrumental in mentoring students, hosting Summer Send-off events, and furthering GW’s vision of engaging alumni and raising money for student support. “At the current rate of growth in both educational quality and facilities, the future is bright. I would like to see a substantial increase in endowment to make this school more available to everyone.” GW
“This education cleared the way for me to achieve my vision, one of exclusivity in my market.”
To get involved as a parent volunteer, please contact the Parents Campaign at PC1821@gwu.edu or 202-994-3229.
From left: Najib, Susie, Walid, and Nadim Wahab.
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RAISE high
FIVE Each year, members of the GW community support the programs, funds, and initiatives that help our students reach their full potential and make the George Washington University one of the finest universities in the country. Here are five of our favorites that you might not know about yet:
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“Art therapy provides a powerful means to communicate, explore issues, and ultimately heal.” —Heidi Bardot, Director, Art Therapy Program
Art Therapy Program Promotes Communication and Healing go.gwu.edu/supportarttherapy
One of the first programs of its kind in the nation and accredited by the American Art Therapy Association, Columbian College’s Art Therapy Program combines artistic training with therapy and counseling skills. Students learn to become clinical art therapists through training in studio arts, as well as intensive course work in the varying aspects of art therapy, trauma, diagnosis, and assessment. A gift to this program will provide fellowships for students, art supplies and support for internships in underprivileged communities, and services for minority clientele in our art therapy community clinic.
Memorial Fund Supports Music Students go.gwu.edu/supportbennofritz
The Benno Fritz Memorial Fund was established to honor the memory of our beloved teacher, mentor, and band director. Gifts to the fund will benefit the George Washington University’s band program through the purchase and repair of instruments, purchase of music, and upgrades to the instrument storage spaces.
“[Ben’s] commitment to students, whether through class or ensembles or other connections, was really remarkable. This fund supports a cause he believed in—giving students opportunities and helping them be successful in life.” —Douglas Boyce, Music Department
æ Interested in learning more or supporting one of these programs? Contact us at gwimpact@gwu.edu today. GWish Director Christina Puchalski, MD ’94, RESD ’97
An Institute for Spirituality in Health Care
go.gwu.edu/supportgwish The George Washington University Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish) works toward a more compassionate system of health care by restoring the heart and humanity of medicine through research, education, and policy work. Specifically, the institute brings increased attention to the spiritual needs of patients and health care professionals by helping other medical schools around the world develop their own curricula and training clinicians to address
“The CSE and the First Generation to College student organization ensure the first-generation college student identity is not a hindrance to our success. Through their hard work and programming, students, faculty, and staff have a venue to come together to support and celebrate each other.” —Gaby Madrid, GWSPH ’17
Special Fund Helps First-Generation Students Acclimate go.gwu.edu/supportfirstgen
Students who will be the first in their families to graduate from college often lack the same support as their peers whose family members graduated from college. The Center for Student Engagement (CSE) offers an expanded program, thanks to parent donors Terry and Steve Godfrey, P ‘19, that helps first-generation college students at GW—typically 12-15 percent of each entering class—make a successful transition to the university and prepare for professional life. Gifts support activities such as a Founding Scholars pre-semester program for first-year students, a kickoff event, monthly dinners, and loaner supplies such as kitchen utensils and laptops.
“Your support is vital in making sure GW can adequately supplement government programs so our veteran students can complete this intensive, top-notch nursing program without the burden of additional student loans.”
patients’ spiritual needs. GWish has also drafted clinical standards to better disseminate best practices and integrate a patient’s spiritual values into patient care. Donations support education and clinical programs, scholarships, professional training in underserved countries, and community advocacy efforts.
“Our mission is to bring attention to the spiritual and give people tools to help integrate spiritual care into health care.” — GWish Director Christina Puchalski, MD ’94, RESD ’97
—Pamela Jeffries, dean, School of Nursing
Accelerated Nursing Program for Veterans
The Veterans Bachelor on their prior experience of Science in Nursing and training in health enables military percare through innovative sonnel and veterans to educational models. A gift go.gwu.edu/supportveteranbsn apply their experiences to the VBSN will provide to new careers as military or private-sector scholarships, help offset living and childcare nursing professionals. The program awards costs, and augment career and counseling academic credit to servicemembers based services.
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CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: STUDENT SUPPORT Jordan Williams, SEAS ’17
Claudia Ojeda, LAW ’18
Claudia Ojeda has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity since high school because she believes “home is at the center of everything.” At age 7, her own home was uprooted when she and her parents fled Cuba for Miami, Florida. “From then on, it was starting a new life in the U.S.,” she says, adding that her mother left behind a successful medical practice, and her father a military career. Her parents’ focus was to set Claudia up for success in America, and her first step was to learn English. “I was always applied in my studies, because to my parents it was, ‘We came here for you so it’s your own efforts to succeed.’” She did well in school, volunteered for Habitat, and attended the University of Florida (UF) with a Bright Futures scholarship, which goes to students with good grades and test scores and a commitment to community service. Claudia discovered her love for debate through UF’s mock trial team, then shadowed lawyers at the Chicago office of DLA Piper through a program for students interested in law. When she decided it was her calling, “Of course, my parents were thrilled,” she says. Claudia wanted a law school that would make her feel plugged in and connected to the community, and she found that at GW Law. In her first year, she’s felt supported by her professors and school leadership, in particular an instructor who encouraged her through a difficult contracts course. Her perseverance has paid off in the form of scholarship funding, including the Morgan Lewis Foundation Diversity Scholarship, an award from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius that goes to students in need from diverse backgrounds. Claudia plans to join a litigation firm that values diversity and has a strong pro bono practice so she can make time to give back to the community. “To receive a generous gift like that from someone who doesn’t even know me—I definitely want to pay that forward in the future.” —Amanda Charney
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Jordan Williams chose GW because the school gave him the platform to be his whole self, a “science nerd by day, aspiring jazz musician by night.” “I love the college that I attend, and to be able to go here with the financial support of many is reassuring,” Jordan says. “Being awarded the Myers Family Endowed Scholarship and a Presidential arts scholarship brings me one step closer to my dreams and goals. For that, I am very appreciative.” Jordan’s experience has extended beyond the classroom as he maintains membership in the Biomedical Engineering Society and National Society of Black Engineers and participated in an international jazz residency at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Jordan also takes part in diverse and enriching social opportunities such as the Voice Gospel Choir, for which he’s served as the group’s pianist since his freshman year. “I promise that your investment in my education will certainly be worthwhile,” says Jordan. “It will enable me to not only excel in my field of study, but to give back to the George Washington University community in whatever way that I can.” —Veronica Hughes
Kylie Madden, CCAS ’17
During her first week at GW, Kylie Madden watched President Obama speak at the 50th Anniversary of the March on the National Mall. Kylie has had a number of “only-at-GW” moments since then, such as hearing oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court and meeting two Democratic candidates for president of the United States. “These moments mean the world to me, and I am so fortunate to be in a place and at a university that easily facilitates these experiences,” she says. Kylie also stays busy on campus as immediate past-president of the Adelphi Society, former director of communications for the GW Residence Hall Association (GW RHA), and co-chair of the Central Atlantic Affiliate for College and University Residence Halls Regional Conference for GW RHA. Kylie is taking advantage of every opportunity thanks to the Simon Family Scholarship, a gift she says helped her “better appreciate” her experience at GW. “This award helps me worry less about the student loans I will have to pay off in the future, as it alleviates the necessity of more loans,” she says. After graduation, Kylie plans to attend law school and may explore a career in political event management. She currently works for the GW Law Office of Alumni Relations as a student staff assistant and at Mischief Management, an event-planning company focused on fan-based community events. —Julia Parmley
Nurik Eldosov, ESIA ’17
Nurik Eldosov realized his professional dreams at an early age—and under life-changing circumstances. Nurik and his family were in the process of immigrating to the United States from Uzbekistan when they were interviewed by U.S. Foreign Service officers at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. They were granted the opportunity to move to America, a decision Nurik says inspired him to study foreign affairs. “GW’s location in the heart of the nation’s capital, the esteemed reputation of the Elliott School of International Affairs, and my existing desire to study international relations created a perfect combination that truly made GW the premier institution at which to pursue higher education and my educational interests,” he says.
Sam Summerlin, GWSB ’17
And pursue he has. In May, Nurik received a 2016 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship from the U.S. Department of State, which provides the financial and professional resources to prepare recipients for a career in the Foreign Service. Fellows also complete a domestic internship at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and an overseas internship at a U.S. embassy. Receiving the Epsilon Education Foundation Sigma Chi Scholarship in 2015 helped Nurik focus on achieving his dream of becoming a Foreign Service officer with less financial burden on himself and his family. “My gratitude and appreciation for making my post-secondary education possible through this scholarship cannot be overstated,” he says. —Julia Parmley
Sormeh Harounzadeh, SMHS ‘17
As an elite defender on the GW men’s soccer team, Sam Summerlin gets few chances to score. However, when it comes to his education, Sam is determined to assist in any way he can. “The biggest thing for me is to lessen the burden on my family,” says the Gaithersburg, Maryland native. “Any way I can contribute to my expenses, I’ll take that shot.” Sam applied for, and earned, the Dombay Family Scholarship, which supports an undergraduate student-athlete studying business. GW swim team alumna Denise Dombay, BBA ’88, created the scholarship as a way to give back. “A student scholarship is a personal thing,” says Denise. “You can donate money for a brick, a wall, a room, or a building, but in this case I’m helping to fund a student’s education. I’ve met the parents of some of my recipients, and I can see it made a difference in their lives, too.” Denise also offers her time and advice. “Denise has helped me financially,” says Sam, “but she’s also gone the extra mile and offered career assistance for me—and that’s something you really can’t put a price on.” Look for Sam to follow Denise’s advice and switch to offense once he graduates. “If I have the chance to give back in the same way she’s done for me,” says Sam, “that’s a no-brainer.” A no-brainer, but a header just the same.
When Thomas Barnett, MD ‘87, decided to “adopt” a medical student, he made one request. In memory of his mother, Josephine M. Barnett, RN, he wanted to support a nurse who was entering medical school. Fortunately for Sormeh Harounzadeh, Barnett’s generous donation to the Adopt-a-Doc Scholarship program at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences was gifted at the same time she was transitioning from being a nurse to becoming a doctor. As early as her teen years, Sormeh knew she wanted to be a nurse. “During high school, I volunteered in a research lab at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center and was able to shadow physicians and nurses in the hospital,” she says. “I loved the hospital environment and interacting with patients, but I was particularly drawn to the nursing role and its emphasis on patient advocacy—being present at the bedside.” What she didn’t know at the time was that earning a nursing degree from the University of Pennsylvania and working as a nurse would shortly thereafter inspire her to matriculate at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “I chose to receive my medical education at GW because of its emphasis on urban health care,” she says. “Our hospital and emergency room serve a large volume of patients each year. We are uniquely positioned above the Foggy Bottom Metro station, so we are more accessible and able to provide care to the greater Washington, D.C., area.” Throughout Sormeh’s career as a nurse and soon-to-be physician, her main focus has been to work with underserved populations and empower patients to manage their own health care. Ultimately, she plans to work as an emergency department physician in an urban hospital. “I would like to assure Dr. Barnett that I will always remember my roots as a nurse,” she says. “[I will] provide my patients with compassion and be a positive force in the face of illness.”
—Craig Burdick
—Mary Follin
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CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: STUDENT SERVICES As we continue to support students in the classroom through scholarships, it is equally important that we enrich their co-curricular experiences by providing programs and services that foster career and professional development; community, citizenship, and leadership; and wellbeing. Here are a few highlights of philanthropic impact from the 2015-16 academic year.
Career and Professional Development
27,019
students and alumni engaged with Career Services (career coaching, student employment, career workshops, and employer events)
GW ranked #1 for internships by Princeton Review in 2015 and 2016
Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF) • $132,000 awarded to 81 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students • Since the inception of KACIF in summer 2013, the program has received 862 applications, of which approximately 30 percent have been funded, totaling $449,000
Community, Citizenship, and Leadership Military and Veterans Student Services
Pre-semester Adventure Bound Programs • 105 participants on 6 trips, including GWilderness, Whitewater, Ocean, Appalachian Trail-McAfee Knob, Shenandoah, and Harpers Ferry
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•
Have reduced costs to students by 68 percent since 2012 to support GW’s commitment to inclusion
• 1,800+ students with military backgrounds, including veterans, active-duty individuals, reservists, ROTC students, and dependents
Wellbeing 2015-16 Colonial Health Center Visits Medical Services:
25,474
Mental Health Services:
9,675
Student Organizations
Ronald W. Howard Student Assistance Fund
• Colonial Crowdfunding to help GW’s 474 student organizations raise funds for their projects
• Offers financial assistance to students who incur unexpected expenses that they cannot cover, including providing a ticket home to see a dying parent, a warm coat during a harsh winter, or those last few textbooks
» $7,635 raised to support 4 student organization projects in spring 2016 » Selected from 21 applications
22 AWARDS TOTALING
$39,700+
Collegiate Recovery Program • Programming, services, space, staffing, and a student organization
to support an estimated 400+ students in recovery from mental health disorders, including substance use, eating disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress, and others
The Store: GW’s Food Pantry • Opened in District House in fall 2016 as a resource for the
approximately 25 percent of students who reported not having enough to eat on a weekly basis
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PHOTO FINISH
WE ARE FAMILY This year, Alumni Weekend featured more than 60 events, highlighted by a White Ford Bronco concert, Taste of GW, and the Sunday Political Discourse. There were also reunions (of course), museum tours, athletic events, campus and building tours, networking receptions, and academic lectures. And because Alumni Weekend lined up with Halloween weekend, there was even a Boo Bash! It featured a costume contest, music, free food, and assorted Halloween games on Kogan Plaza.
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ĂŚ You can read more
about Alumni Weekend 2016 and watch a highlight video at gwalumni.org.
The Division of Development and Alumni Relations 2033 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20052
A FUTURE FOR JOURNALISM Char Beales, BA ’73, and GWSB Professor Howard Beales made a $3.2 million bequest to create professorship of accountability in journalism at School of Media and Public Affairs. æ Page 12