The Third Century Scholarship Endowment Match:
Unlocking Access to Undergraduate Education

The Impact of Endowed Scholarships at GW

Endowed scholarships make a real difference

Kaitlynn Slattery, BS ’22

Shepard Scholar

As an undergraduate student, Kaitlynn was trying to figure out how to afford her next month’s rent when she learned that she received a scholarship for her final year at the George Washington University.

"I was on the phone with my mom, and we were trying to figure out where the money was going to come from and how we were going to make it work when I got the email about the scholarship,” she said. “It was such a relief that I cried."

Now, she is working in a post-baccalaureate program at the National Institutes of Health and dreams of becoming a cancer researcher.

“It's really encouraging to know that more people are going to have the opportunity I had, because I like to think that the work I'm doing now is going to have an impact."

 

Read More at GW Today

 

Together, we can unlock enduring student support

Steven V. Roberts

J.B. and M.C. Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs

“Everybody has a stake in this, because every one of us, teachers and students alike, benefits every day from the presence of people who would not be here if not for scholarships. When you give a student a scholarship, you are not just benefiting that student and her family, you're benefiting everybody who comes in contact with her. The community is wider and richer and fuller because she’s there.”
 

Read More at GW Today

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an endowment? Why are they important?

An endowment is a fund donated to a non-profit that is invested and produces income for the organization in perpetuity. Invested over time, endowment gifts generate more income as the fund grows, ensuring long-term, enduring impact.  

Endowed scholarships create a permanent legacy and play a critical role in increasing access to a GW education by providing stable financial support, targeted directly to students, now and in the future. When you give to an endowment, you give a gift with both immediate and long-term benefits.

Which gifts will be doubled by the Match?

Through this historic match, GW seeks to dramatically increase endowed support for need-based undergraduate scholarships by attracting substantial new contributions. The Match will double, dollar-for-dollar, major gifts that (1) create new, need-based undergraduate scholarship endowments or (2) bring existing need-based undergraduate scholarships to the minimum endowment threshold or higher. The Match is designed to attract significant philanthropic commitments to establish a permanent legacy for future generations of GW students.

Gifts of any size make a difference to our students. GW’s Development & Alumni Relations team is here to help find the best giving opportunity for you, please reach out to [email protected].

How will Match dollars be combined with gifts?

GW will match new substantial gifts to need-based undergraduate scholarship endowments dollar-for-dollar, doubling the impact of generous donors. When you give a qualifying gift to an existing endowed scholarship fund or establish a new one, GW will match the amount 1:1.

What gifts to an existing scholarship endowment qualify for the Match?

Giving to an existing scholarship endowment during this time-limited match is an excellent way to amplify your impact. Gifts ranging from $10K to $2.5M toward select existing, need-based, endowed scholarships for undergraduates will be matched 1:1 through this initiative.

Our gift officers can offer more  details on minimum thresholds and special circumstances related to existing scholarship endowments. Please reach out to [email protected] for more information.

How do I create an endowed scholarship that qualifies for the Match?

Establishing an endowed scholarship is one of the best ways to create a permanent legacy at GW. Endowments can be created during the Match with a minimum gift of $50K, which will be doubled by GW to reach the university’s minimum scholarship endowment threshold of $100K. The greater the philanthropic commitment, the greater the impact on future generations of GW students. 

GW’s gift officers can answer your questions about creating a lasting impact – please email [email protected] to get started and for more information.

Why is GW focusing on undergraduate need-based scholarships? Will these funds impact current students?

There is no more significant action we can take than to support the problem solvers, caretakers, and changemakers who will lead our greater world. Not every potential leader has the same access to a GW degree and more than 40 percent of GW applicants say that affordability and financial aid are major factors in their final college choice, so increasing need-based support is essential.

Matched gifts made to a scholarship endowment today can impact GW students as soon as the next academic year and will exist in perpetuity to benefit future generations. Through this initiative, GW continues its commitment to increasing access to a college degree by supporting permanent need-based scholarships to benefit undergraduates.

How long is the Match available?

The Match launched in November of 2022 and will be available for three years, or until the $12M in matching funds are committed.