On June 20, 2014, the George Washington University launched Making History: The Campaign for GW. This capital campaign seeks to raise $1 billion for the university by June 2018. GW was founded to fulfill President George Washington’s vision of a university in the heart of the nation’s capital that serves as an intellectual hub and trains the next generation of citizen-leaders. This campaign will ensure that GW continues to make history, equipping students and faculty with the skills they need to address the world’s most pressing problems.
Each school shares a portion of the campaign effort. At the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), our goal is to raise $225 million – nearly a quarter of the university-wide total. The funds raised from the campaign will benefit six key categories at SMHS:
- Scholarships. Tuition costs and student debt are nationwide challenges. These challenges are especially impactful on medical education, where high costs are driving prospective students away from much-needed fields. The campaign seeks to expand scholarship offerings to ensure that deserving and gifted students are not turned away from an SMHS education for financial reasons.
- Faculty. SMHS owes its strong foundation to a talented staff of physicians, health professionals, researchers, and teachers. In order to attract and retain top minds to the school, the campaign will make endowing professorships a top priority.
- Research. Expanding research portfolios is a university-wide goal, and SMHS is a major driver of this mission. Our scientists are conducting biomedical, clinical, translational, health policy and health services research. Supporting these researchers and their projects is critical to improving clinical care and delivery.
- Patient Care. With the George Washington University Hospital and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, SMHS provides high-level care to a broad patient population. Our physicians and medical staff constantly incorporate the latest technologies and modalities into the care they provide. The campaign will ensure that they have the resources they need to continue delivering top-quality care and improving their techniques.
- Facilities. As SMHS grows its capacity to teach, heal, discover and serve, the physical infrastructure of the institution will need to expand as well. The campaign will help continue investments in Ross Hall as well as support future projects. Additionally, the campaign will help fund SMHS’s move into a floor of Science and Engineering Hall when it opens in 2015.
- Current-use funds. The campaign will also seek unrestricted contributions that allow school and clinical practice leadership to respond quickly to opportunities outside of the budget cycle. A healthy, well-funded “war chest” is an important tool that allows large institutions to respond nimbly and successfully to the unexpected.
This is a very exciting time in our school’s history. SMHS is rapidly climbing on an elevated trajectory, and this campaign will advance our growth even further. We encourage you to stay informed of campaign activities here at the school and learn more about how Making History will change the way we teach, heal, discover and serve at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Dennis Narango, M.A., CFRE Associate Dean, SMHS and Associate Vice President for GW Medicine Development and Alumni Relations
