Teaching & Learning 2023
TEACHING & LEARNING
Helping Heroes Pursue Purpose
Military service runs in the family for Elizabeth Kovacich, BSN ‘23. Her grandfather served in the U.S. Air Force, her father and aunt in the Navy, and her brother in the Army.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Kovacich was fresh out of military medic training and jumped into action administering vaccines 12-14 hours each day with the Air National Guard at a clinic in Washington state. In those dark early days, she realized how much serving her community mattered, which solidified her desire to become a nurse.
GW has 1,400+ military-affiliated students and was ranked #11 in best for veterans among private universities by Military Times in 2022.
And just in time. National nursing shortages have plagued the healthcare system for years, and dire nursing shortages are predicted as retirement and pandemic burnout take their toll. To address this looming crisis, William and Joanne Conway established a scholarship for veterans at GW’s School of Nursing in 2020 with a $2.5 million gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF.
Kovacich knew GW supported veterans and that GW Nursing offered an accelerated path. She became a William and Joanne Conway Transitioning Warriors Nursing Scholar, receiving funding, mentoring and dedicated on-campus support.
“In the military, you have a different life experience. You almost have a different language. And sometimes it’s hard to connect that with what we call civilian life,”
Kovacich said. “...having that extra support plus scholarship funding to help get through school is everything.” Kovacich graduated in May 2023 and is pursuing her dream as a critical care nurse at a hospital in Arizona, leading the way for the next generation of nurses.
Teaching & Learning Philanthropy in Action
Religious Freedom
Associate Professor of Political Science Samuel Goldman, the newly-endowed executive director of the Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. Institute for Religious Freedom and Democracy, is a national thought leader on religious liberty. A $5 million gift from Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. and Sharon H. Loeb will ensure GW is at the forefront of creating and teaching courses that champion sincere respect for diverse beliefs and observances.
A Legacy of Justice
With support from the Jacob Burns Foundation, GW Law students have represented D.C. residents seeking justice for more than 50 years, a legacy built to honor the late GW Trustee Jacob Burns, LLB ’24, HON ’70. From winning needed health care for a child to reversing convictions and securing clemency for non-violent offenders, the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics enable Law students to learn directly from clients through 18 specialized programs.
Hands-on Art Education
One hallmark of a GW education is hands-on learning, and that is particularly true at The George Washington University Museum, The Textile Museum, and the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, where students have direct access to historical and contemporary works of art. In 2023, the estate of GW Trustee Emeritus Luther W. Brady, AA ’44, BA ’46, MD ’48, HON ’04, bequeathed more than 130 paintings and sculptures to the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery at GW to enhance art education for years to come.
State of the Art Facilities
GW Trustee Emeritus Henry “Ric” Duquès, BBA ’65, MBA ’69, and Dr. Dawn Brill Duquès, BA ’69, are revitalizing the student experience at GW Business with a $2.5 million gift to make state-of-the-art improvements to their namesake building.
A Global Classroom
Inspired by trips to the Caribbean and Latin America to help communities, Professor of Political Science James Lebovic and his wife Holly Gill, an accomplished veterinarian, established the Gill-Lebovic Center for Community Health in the Caribbean and Latin America, the largest gift by faculty in GW’s history. Led by Wolfgang Munar, Associate Professor in Global Health Systems at GW’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, the center offers students research and training opportunities to improve health outcomes in the region in partnership with local communities. Learn more at go.gwu.edu/GillLebovic
Donors Making Meaningful Impact
A $1 million endowment from GW parents Ulvi Kasimov (pictured) and Reykhan Kasimova meets the growing need for credentialed art therapists by providing fellowships to attract and retain top graduate students in GW’s Art Therapy Program at the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences.