Our Crowdfunding Groups
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Buckeyes and Friends-
Last year, you did a phenomenal job helping raise funds to send three deserving John Glenn Fellows to Washington on full housing scholarship.
What if I told you we could send 4 students to DC on full housing scholarship this year?
Thanks to a very generous former staff member of Senator Glenn, sending four students is not out of the question!
Here's the deal- if we reach this year's goal of raising $8,400, our very generous former staff member of Senator Glenn will DOUBLE OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
We are only $2,725 away from reaching our goal. Let's make this happen- please encourage your fellow Buckeyes and friends to make a gift! Help us turn two scholarships into four!
Your gift can make incredible things happen for deserving Buckeyes- watch the video to learn more about what YOU helped us do last summer!
Visit this year's page and help us reach our goal today!
Last year, because of YOU….
We sent three deserving Ohio State students to Washington, DC for a life-changing summer with the Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP). Because of your generosity, three students were able to gain real world experience, network with alumni and take huge steps toward achieving their professional goals. They were also incredible students who represented Ohio State and the John Glenn College exceptionally well while in Washington, making us all proud.
We are excited to share that we are launching the project again this year and hope you’ll be part of this exciting campaign once more.
We want you to be the first to see this video, featuring the three scholarship recipients- Mikayla, Leah and Tinae- from last summer. See what they have to say about how you helped change their lives- http://buckeyefunder.osu.edu/waip.
Again, thank you for your generosity. We are excited that with your help, we can make Washington a reality for students that may not otherwise have the opportunity.
Go Bucks!
Katy and the John Glenn College of Public Affairs WAIP Team
Alumni and friends:
I hope this update finds you well! The summer 2016 cohort of John Glenn Fellows arrived in Washington just over a month ago, and they are one of the most impressive and ambitious groups of students we’ve seen to date! This cohort is a little extra special for me because I know three of our Glenn Fellows are here because of the generous support of people like you. Our three scholarship recipients could not be more deserving- all are making the most of the experience and allowing this summer to change their lives for the better.
I want to introduce you to our three scholarship recipients, Tinae, Mikayla and Leah. I am sharing their stories below and will update you on their progress throughout the summer. Again, from all of us at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, thank you. Thank you for believing in our students and helping them access an incredible opportunity in Washington, DC this summer.
Tinae Bluitt is a junior majoring in Public Affairs Journalism. She is interning at the U.S. Department of Education this summer in their Press Office, which has kept her on her toes. She met the Secretary on her very first day! When asked what she’d like you to know about what this scholarship means to her, Tinae said:
“WAIP's housing scholarship was truly a blessing. Just a few days before I learned that I was selected to receive fully funded housing I had a conversation with my mother, who said she could not afford to help me financially this summer and that I may have to reject the fellowship offer. I still remember getting the phone call from Katy and almost bursting in to tears of joy. This scholarship means the world to me because it allowed me to participate in this excellent program. I can't thank you all enough for your kind donations and choosing to invest in me. This summer program is not only enhancing my professional development, but it's also changing my life."
Mikayla Bodey is a senior majoring in Public Affairs with a specialization in food and agriculture policy. She is interning at the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. She describes how WAIP will allow her to reach her professional goals in the future:
“WAIP is an incredible opportunity afforded to students who desire a deep connection to policy and public service. Thanks to the generosity of alumni, I have been immersed in the DC culture while growing my professional network. I know I want to be in DC after graduation to advocate for small, rural, impoverished communities like the one I grew up in. Without this scholarship, my experience would simply not be possible. Hopefully this summer leads to a lifetime of public service helping rural Ohioans at all levels of government.”
Leah Uhrig is a senior majoring in Social Work with minors in leadership studies and public policy. Leah is interning with the National Partnership for Women and Families this summer. WAIP was a dream of Leah’s early on in her college career, and something her whole family hoped she would pursue. Leah describes what the scholarship means to her and her family:
“This scholarship has had a huge impact on me in multiple ways. I started thinking about WAIP back in 2015 knowing I would want to do it summer of 2016. In January my father became very ill and we almost lost him. When something like that happens your plans fall to the side and you focus on what is immediately in front of you. My father’s illness is relevant to this scholarship because my family is a one income family from my father’s self-employed business. The idea of taking an unpaid internship while paying tuition and the cost of living in DC just didn’t feel like a possibility. My parents encouraged me to apply knowing the positive impact this experience could have. So because of this scholarship I have the priceless opportunity to learn, grow and live in our nation’s capital. Thank you so much for the support you have given me.”
Alumni and friends:
From all of us at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and WAIP, THANK YOU for your support during our first-ever crowdfunding campaign. We are pleased to announce that we will be sending three (yes, three) students to DC this summer on full housing scholarship. We are so moved by your generosity and willingness to support our students!
The story doesn't end here! We will provide you with exciting updates on our John Glenn Fellows as they live and intern in Washington this summer. We are excited you will be part of their life-changing journey!
Thank you for paying it forward by helping deserving students get to Washington.
How firm thy friendship,
Katy, WAIP Program Manager
Alumni, friends and supporters:
THANK YOU for joining us on our first crowdfunding journey. We are entering the last 2 days of the campaign. We are SO CLOSE to fully funding one of our summer Buckeyes (at the time I am writing this, it's less than $200 away), and I believe we can make it happen before the end of today. Please, join me in spreading the word. Remind our fellow Buckeyes and friends that the time to give is now- the campaign ends Monday. Please also share your story for giving- it's inspiring for others!
How Firm Thy Friendship,
Katy, WAIP Program Manager
Good afternoon!
Thank you again for supporting WAIP- your donation will cover housing expenses for a deserving Buckeye that may not otherwise have the opportunity, which is absolutely incredible. Your support matters so much to these students!
I want to share Zach Elder's note below, which serves as a powerful reminder that opportunities like WAIP change lives. Zach is an alumnus of WAIP, the former President of the OSU-DC Alumni Club and currently the Director of the Eckles Library at GWU here in DC. Zach shared his story and reasons for giving with his Buckeye network, and as we enter the last 7 days of the campaign, we encourage you to do the same. Enjoy Zach's message below!
Yep, that's a picture of me when I was in WAIP, long, long ago, with Senator and Mrs. Glenn. I'm sharing this even though it's embarrassing to get a laugh out of you and because I believe in the program. The Washington Academic Internship program through the John Glenn College offers a transformative experience. Without it, I wouldn't have discovered my love of libraries and archives, I wouldn't have met mentors that help me still today, and I wouldn't have such a deep understanding of the potential of public policy to shape and improve lives.
However, this experience comes with a cost that's becoming more prohibitive due to the rising costs of Washington, DC: housing. I was a farm kid who could barely afford the program 15 years ago, and I certainly wouldn't be able to afford it today. That's why I've donated to this crowdfunding campaign to help defray these costs for some students who need it. Please consider donating $5, $10, $20 or $50; any donation will count towards the $75 you need for your sustaining membership in the Alumni Association. Please donate soon, as there are only 7 days left to participate.
Washington Academic Internship Program Project Information:
Our first-ever crowdfunding campaign is in full swing and in its third week! With 12 days to go, this update is coming to you from a WAIP alumna that benefited directly from receiving a scholarship. Read on for Amber's story!
“It enabled me to understand the public policy process, build my professional network, help me get into a competitive public policy program, and now I’ve returned to Washington, DC to pursue my career. Participating in the WAIP program would not have happened without a scholarship.” –Amber Seira, WAIP alumna 2012, STEM Graduate Policy Fellow at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Amber Seira says a scholarship made all the difference for her when she pursued WAIP. Now she holds an MPA and is a Policy Fellow with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. She credits her WAIP semester as the catalyst for her career trajectory. Learn more about Amber and why she supports WAIP in her short video.
Thank you for making a gift to the campaign. Your donation will help future students who, like Amber, could not reach their full potential in Washington without the generous support of alumni. We are so close to funding our first housing scholarship. Please share this important campaign with your networks and encourage others to give.
Washington Academic Internship Program Project Information:
Did you know the internship is only one component of WAIP? As Glenn Fellows, students get to explore DC every Friday through study tours, which are often facilitated by alumni and friends of Ohio State. Study tours are critical to the students' experience and professional development because they are exposed to a number of government agencies, nonprofits, Congressional offices and other public service-focused entities in Washington, providing them additional perspective and knowledge.
Previous study tours have included the White House, Federal Reserve Board, Pentagon, FCC, National Council of Nonprofits, NPR and the U.S. State Department.
Supporting WAIP gives students the chance to have a semester filled with life changing opportunities beyond the classroom. Scholarships allow students to spend the semester in Washington, intern, network with alumni, and go on study tours to agencies and offices they've only read about.
This Presidents Day, consider giving to WAIP. No amount is too small.
Washington Academic Internship Program Project Information:
“I became a WAIP mentor because it allows me to leverage my network and provide the students experiences, opportunities and contacts as they spend the semester in DC.” –Kirstin Knott, OSU alumna and WAIP mentor
WAIP does not run without alumni generously volunteering their time, networks and resources. Every WAIP student is assigned an OSU alum to be their mentor during the WAIP semester, enabling alumni to develop meaningful relationships with students and truly influence them in this critical time of their career development. Mentors show students around DC, impart wisdom and sometimes even help students land their first job out of college. Mentors like Kirstin Knott matter and want you to support the cause. Learn more about Kirstin and her call to give to WAIP in her video message.
Washington Academic Internship Program Project Information:
“When I left the Senate and opened the John Glenn Institute at OSU, Annie and I wanted to provide an opportunity for students to experience Washington, DC, and the satisfactions of public service. In 2000, we launched the Washington Academic Internship Program and over 300 students have interned and studied a semester in our nation’s capital since then. This is often a life changing experience for the students with many of them returning to DC to pursue careers in the public sector and a lifelong commitment to service. All of us know the satisfaction that comes from such commitments and together, we must all do what we can to encourage young people to do the same. Our democracy depends on it. Your support of this WAIP Campaign will help cover the housing expenses for students who otherwise could not participate in the program. I hope you will join Annie and me in supporting this important program.” -Senator John Glenn
Herb Asher, Professor Emeritus of political science at Ohio State University helped start WAIP and speaks to Senator Glenn’s enthusiasm for the program. Learn more about the benefits of WAIP from the perspective of Professor Emeritus Herb Asher, former Director of the Glenn Institute.
Washington Academic Internship Program Project Information:
“WAIP was literally a life changing experience. After I graduated from Ohio State, I came back to DC to work on the Hill and I’ve been here for four and a half years.” –Susan Manchester, WAIP alumna 2009
My name is Susan Manchester. I participated in WAIP in winter quarter 2009, and it changed my life. Did your WAIP experience change the course of your career? It launched mine: after graduating from Ohio State in 2010, I returned to the same office where I interned, and spent almost five years working on Capitol Hill. WAIP has launched the careers of countless alumni to a myriad of destinations across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. But so many Buckeyes aren’t able to take advantage of this opportunity to expand their worldview and unlock their potential because of the cost of living in D.C.
Will you join our crowdfunding campaign to send two more Buckeyes to DC this summer on full housing scholarships? By investing just $5, $10, $25, or $100, you can make a difference in these students’ lives while amplifying the power of our alumni network. If you give, we’ll update you this summer on how these students’ experiences are going. After all – WAIP alumni know better than anyone the power of grassroots contributions to make an impact. It is an honor and privilege to be among such outstanding leaders. Let’s continue to expand our influence by investing in the next generation of students. Our honor defend, Susan Manchester
DC Buckeyes and Friends,
It hasn't even been 48 hours and we are so close to breaking $1,000- let's keep it up! Every donation gets us one step closer to making DC a reality for two bright students destined for successful careers in public service!
Speaking of students, I just emailed offers for summer 2016 THIS MORNING! We had a record number of applicants, and we will be welcoming the biggest class in WAIP history to Washington this summer (30 students!)
Learn more in my video, but after being in Columbus last week and meeting the summer students in-person during interviews, I can assure you they are amazing and that these scholarships are so important.
THANK YOU to those of you that have donated, and please spread the word to our alumni and friends! We can't do this without you!
-Katy
“Now I have this great thing that’s five lines on my resume, but to me, it was a lot more than that.” –Sarah Hudacek, WAIP student summer 2015, interned at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by our page- we’re excited you’re here! My name is Katy Hogan and I am THRILLED to oversee and manage the Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP). In case you are unfamiliar, Ohio State has this awesome program that affords undergraduate students passionate about public service, government and policy the opportunity to live and intern in Washington, DC for a semester while receiving academic credit. WAIP allows students to gain real world experience, put theory into practice, experience Washington, network with alumni and, most importantly, begin to build the foundation for their professional pathway. Many alumni attribute their careers to their start in WAIP, which is why I believe it is important to make the opportunity as accessible as possible. During the WAIP semester, students pay standard OSU tuition and housing, which is $4,200 for the semester (not bad for Capitol Hill though!)
Many bright and eager students struggle with the housing fee due to the higher cost of living in Washington. It is our goal to raise TWO scholarships that will cover the FULL cost of housing for two summer students. Let’s send two bright Buckeyes to Washington this summer! Please consider making a donation today as we kick off our first-ever crowd funding campaign for WAIP!
GO BUCKS!
Katy Hogan
P.S. In case you are wondering, gifts to this crowdfunding campaign are just like any other gift to Ohio State. You'll get a receipt to use for your taxes, and they'll count towards your Alumni Association Sustaining Membership, President's Club and other recognition programs.
