Beyond the Classroom: An Endowment for Student Research and Learning
Mary Bradley MacPherson ’71 is issuing the following challenge to all supporters of experiential learning: if 200 gifts are made to the Beyond the Classroom Endowment in the month of November, a $10,000 challenge gift from Mary will be unlocked.
Will you make a gift to help us reach our goal?
The College of Arts and Sciences is challenged to meet the funding demands of the rigorous, individualized programs that impact student learning outside the classroom. In order for us to sustain these programs the college is looking to build a $1 million endowed fund – Beyond the Classroom: An Endowment for Student Research and Learning. Reaching the $1 million goal will enable the College of Arts and Sciences to provide approximately $40,000 every year to support high-impact student learning experiences that take our students beyond the classroom.
“The creation of this endowment will significantly bolster our student learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom. ”
– Dr. Keith Mellinger, Dean
In the summer of 2021, a generous donation by Dr. Cathie Woteki ’69, helped to bolster the value of the endowment:
“Two years ago, [CAS Dean] Keith Mellinger told me about his idea to create a fund that will give students more experiences outside of the classroom, such as traveling to present research, attending professional society meetings and completing internships. After he shared his vision, I knew I wanted to help make it happen.”
In the fall of 2021, our focus on international education was boosted by a generous challenge match sponsored by Karen Laino Giannuzzi ’71 who said that
“Studying languages and cultures at Mary Washington forever changed my world view and led to an exciting career living, working, and traveling abroad. I encourage every student I meet to consider studying abroad during their time at Mary Washington.”
In November of 2022, Beth Craig ’77 and Phyllis Quinn ’77 came together to sponsor a challenge in support of student research:
“It makes sense for us to do this [challenge] together,” said Quinn, who majored in chemistry and served with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “It’s money well spent, helping students succeed – and sometimes even fail – as they refine their research.”
The Impact:
Contributions to the endowment will provide awards to support students in the following activities:
- High quality, yet often unpaid, internships
- Study away and Study abroad programs
- Independent research projects
- Registration and travel to conferences to present research findings
- the annual Summer Research Institutes
For more information about the Beyond the Classroom endowment, please contact Dean Keith Mellinger at kmelling@umw.edu. Learn more about how the endowment began from Dean Mellinger in his message below in the fall of 2020.
