Grant Provides Scholarship Funds for Award Program and Continues a 10-Year Partnership
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 18, 2012 – The New York Life Foundation awarded The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC) a $100,000 grant to provide 20 scholarships to the colleges and universities that win this year’s Higher Education Civic Engagement Award. These scholarships enable diverse students from the winning schools to attend TWC’s semester-long internship program, which the Foundation has supported since 2002. The program combines academic and experiential learning opportunities through student internships at government agencies and private for-profit and nonprofit organizations based in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Center introduced the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award in 2009; it recognizes the U.S. colleges and universities that have been exemplary in making civic engagement a central component of their curriculum. Award-winning schools offer the scholarships through a competitive nomination process to diverse students who would otherwise not be able to attend TWC’s internship program. Winners of the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award will be announced in July.
“We are grateful for a decade of generous support from the New York Life Foundation and we look forward to continuing this meaningful partnership that has already transformed the lives of many diverse students. This partnership with the New York Life Foundation is critical to TWC’s success in expanding awareness for the award in order to attract more award nominees in future years,” said Michael Smith, president of The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. “The grant allows us to reward the institutions who will serve as important models that encourage other schools to introduce innovative and effective practices to their civic engagement efforts.”
“We are pleased to help make The Washington Center’s high-quality programming accessible to the next generation of diverse leaders,” said Chris Park, president of the New York Life Foundation. “Interns will have the opportunity to develop new skills that will enhance their current civic engagement efforts on their campuses and be utilized throughout their adult lives.”
Since 2002, the New York Life Foundation has given more than $530,000 to support scholarships for The Washington Center’s internship program.
About The Washington CenterThe Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is an independent, nonprofit organization that serves hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and other countries by providing selected students challenging opportunities to work and learn in Washington, D.C., for academic credit. The largest program of its kind, The Washington Center has more than 50,000 alumni who have become leaders in numerous professions and nations around the world. It was established in 1975.
About the New York Life FoundationInspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided more than $155 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. Through its focus on “Nurturing the Children,” the Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of educational enhancement and childhood bereavement. The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees, agents, and retirees of New York Life through its Volunteers for Life program. To learn more, please visit the Foundation’s Web site. [1]
