For the second year in a row, the United World College-USA community has met the challenge issued by the family of donor Shelby M.C. Davis — raise $2 million to unlock a $2 million match to support scholarships, programs, and school operations.
As of May 31, 2019 all UWC-USA Davis Scholars participated in the challenge. Additionally, 85 percent of students made a contribution to the Annual Fund.
“While the numbers are still being calculated, the participation has been incredibly inspiring. We’ve been led, not surprisingly, by our own students and alumni in meeting the challenge,” said UWC-USA Chief Advancement Officer Mark Hodde ’89.
The Davis Family Challenge Grant is a five-year effort to encourage alumni, students, faculty and staff, and community members to participate in UWC-USA’s philanthropic efforts. A small number of dedicated benefactors led by Shelby and his family have had outsized impact in supporting scholarship and program costs. We couldn’t be more grateful! However, maintaining the vitality of the UWC-USA experience, as well as the long-term fiscal health of the school, requires growing the donor base.
“We are very grateful for the response to this year’s Davis Family Challenge Grant,” Mark said. “We want more students from even more diverse backgrounds enrolled at UWC-USA. That’s how the UWC mission comes alive each year.”
President Victoria J. Mora added, “It’s easy to talk about change-making in the abstract. Every day at UWC-USA, we change one mind and heart at a time by facing our differences and working toward understanding. The world needs more of what we’re doing every day, right here in Northern New Mexico.”