The George Washington Alumni Association (GWAA) announced on October 16 the start of a new fundraising initiative to support the university’s Making History campaign. The GWAA is creating the Colonials Helping Colonials Fund to benefit student internship support.
The endowed fund will be established with individual contributions from current and former members of the GWAA Board of Directors, as well as from matching funds from the association’s cash reserves. They are aiming to raise an initial $100,000 for the Colonials Helping Colonials Fund by the conclusion of the Making History campaign in 2018.
“We’ve created this new fundraising initiative—the first ever for the GW Alumni Association—as a way of showing our support for the Making History campaign,” said GWAA President Jeremy Gosbee, BA ’98, MBA ’02, while announcing the fund at GW’s Board of Trustees meeting on October 16. “I was looking for a way for our board to become actively involved in the Campaign and this seemed like the perfect way to do it.”
The newly created Colonials Helping Colonials Fund will support GW students seeking internships.
Once established, proceeds from the Colonials Helping Colonials Fund will help support the Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF), a fund established in 2013 by the university-wide Career Services Council with generous donations from alumni, parents, and other supporters. KACIF provides stipends to GW students who would like to participate in unpaid internships but lack the financial means to do so.
“The board felt that the Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund would be an excellent way to honor our philosophy of ‘Colonials Helping Colonials,’” said Gosbee. “It also gives us a way to set a positive example for other alumni.”
The GWAA Board of Directors unanimously approved a proposal to create the Colonials Helping Colonials Fund at its fall meeting on September 25.
“Students participate in internships to gain job skills and work experience for their resumes,” said Christine Carnavos, JD ’77, a GWAA board member who has also helped review student applications for KACIF. “The board enthusiastically created this fund to support GW’s future alumni.”
Assistant Provost for University Career Services Rachel Brown added that the student demand for KACIF grants continues to grow. “The quality and quantity of applications from undergraduate and graduate students consistently exceeds our funding, so this gift will have a direct, immediate, and lasting impact,” she said.
The board’s vote of approval came after a presentation by Brown and several students that have benefitted from KACIF funds, including senior Sarah Mann.
“The grant I received through KACIF enabled me to work at the U.S. Department of State, which was an incredibly unique and formative professional experience,” said Sarah. “The GWAA’s commitment to supporting KACIF will help students like myself pursue enriching internship opportunities and take advantage of all that GW has to offer.”