By Briahnna Brown
Luis Otero, B.B.A. ’20, was unsure about his future this spring when graduation was quickly approaching and the pandemic derailed the plans for many of his peers.
He knew that he wanted to get a graduate degree and was already accepted to the George Washington University School of Business’ Master in Management program when he received a job offer from Guidehouse as a financial services consultant. Mr. Otero was at a crossroads—continuing his education now or returning to GW after getting a few years of work experience.
With the financial assistance from the Grants for Grads program, Mr. Otero is able to work and go to school simultaneously.
“The high quality of a GWSB education is something that a lot of people seek out, and so having some financial assistance to help ease the cost has really been a huge help,” Mr. Otero said. “The grant made pursuing that degree much more accessible. I'm the first person in my family to go to college, so certainly the first one to pursue a post-grad degree, and this helps me be able to contribute to home expenses a little more.”
GWSB announced the Grants for GW Grads program in May, where spring 2020 graduates were able to receive 25-50 percent off of graduate tuition for GWSB programs for the fall 2020 semester. Now, enrollment in that program is extended for a full year following graduation for students from any GW undergraduate program.
That means that those who graduated in spring 2020 also will be able to enroll in the spring 2021 semester with that same tuition benefit. Additionally, winter 2020 graduates can now use the Grants for Grads program for spring and fall 2021 enrollment. Spring 2021 graduates can use the program for fall 2021 and spring 2022 enrollment.
GWSB Dean Anuj Mehrotra said that the school is extending the program because of the challenging times that the COVID-19 brought to job markets around the world.
“We believe that our students who have worked so hard in pursuit of their GW education should have the option to further sharpen their skills as they confront the challenges of the pandemic,” Dr. Mehrotra said. “For some, it will be the bridge that gets them through a difficult job market or the edge that gets them in the door.
“For all of them, it will be adding a skill set that makes them more valuable to their next employer,” he said.
Students interested in the Grants for Grads program are encouraged to email the GWSB Graduate Admissions Office at [email protected] or call 202-994-1212. Students can also RSVP to an info session about the grant here.
