George Washington University alumni, trustees, parents and friends gathered Thursday in Philadelphia to celebrate Making History: The Campaign for GW, the $1 billion philanthropic effort that will bring the university into its third century.
In the city in which George Washington served as president of the United States, 90 event attendees learned details of the campaign in a program that featured remarks from Nelson Carbonell Jr., B.S. ’85, chair of the University Board of Trustees and Provost Steven Lerman and included testimonials from alumni and a student.
The event, the second in a series introducing the campaign in cities with large GW alumni populations, was held at the Franklin Institute.
”It’s appropriate that we’re here under a giant statue of Ben Franklin tonight,” Provost Lerman said in his remarks. “As a father of interdisciplinary fields—a true Renaissance man—it’s almost like he’s nodding along as we talk about our great university moving toward a more cross-disciplinary and collaborative model of education.”
Making History, which began with a quiet phase in July 2011, has raised more than $620 million to date. The university went public with the campaign in June and embarked on a multi-city tour, beginning with New York, in October. The tour includes future stops in Miami and Southern California.
Philadelphia is home to more than 7,000 GW alumni and 1,500 GW parents.
Thursday night's event took place at the Franklin Institute. “As a father of interdisciplinary fields—a true Renaissance man—it’s almost like [Ben Franklin is] nodding along as we talk about our great university moving toward a more cross-disciplinary and collaborative model of education,” GW Provost Steven Lerman said.
In remarks about his journey from applicant to GW student, William Murphy, a junior in the School of Engineering and Applied Science who currently is leading his own research project on cancer treatment, spoke of how the generosity of others made his college experience possible. Despite receiving a merit scholarship and an alumni grant, Mr. Murphy, the son of a single mother, was still short of what he needed to attend college in 2012. He penned a letter to the financial aid department at GW, explaining his situation and informing them he wouldn’t be able to attend the university.
“A week later, my mother received an emotional call from the financial aid department, a woman who personally read my letter,” he said. “During that phone call, my mother was told that I would be receiving the Nelson and Michele Carbonell Endowed Scholarship. I wouldn’t be here today without the extreme generosity showed to me by the Carbonells.”
Mr. Carbonell, who spoke at both the public launch and New York events, shared his story of receiving a scholarship to attend GW, and then charged attendees to invest in the future of the university.
”Now is the time to get involved or reengage with GW,” he said. “Volunteer, attend an event, and really—make a gift. I can’t tell you where or how much to give—that part is up to you. Make a gift to support future students like William. Together, we will make history.”
