Scholarship Opportunity for Society of 1918 Membership
The Society of 1918 was founded in 2018 in recognition of the 100th anniversary of coeducation at William & Mary. The Society’s membership is comprised of more than 500 members who have committed philanthropically to W&M so that our alma mater can thrive now and into the future. The Society’s members are individuals of purpose and impact and know that when women are encouraged to support each other and the community, amazing things happen! Collectively, they’ve raised more than $4 million to fund an endowment that supports regional programming for alumnae around the country and events exclusive to Society of 1918 members and underwrite initiatives that support our current students, staff and faculty.
Membership in the Society at the Young Guarde level requires a $5,000 commitment over a five-year period ($1,000/year). We know, however, that even the Young Guarde level can be challenging to a new college graduate. The Society of 1918 is about giving back — and the members deeply value and are committed to having diverse membership. The Society is therefore offering ten $4,000 membership scholarships to graduating students. As a recipient, you’d be required to donate $1,000 to the Alumnae Initiatives Endowment at W&M over the next five years. That amounts to $200 a year, or not even $16.93 per month! As one recent graduate said, “That works out to less than one Starbucks per week!”
We now have 60 members who are current students or who graduated within the last 10 years. In fact, one of our newest members was fortunate enough to receive a signing bonus and decided to use that to join the Society. When asked why, she said, “As I start my career, I know I will benefit from a strong network, and the Society of 1918 seemed like the perfect group to support me along the way.”
This unique membership opportunity will allow you to support W&M, and at the same time, you’ll be doing something for your own personal and professional development by joining this amazing network!
I hope you’ll consider joining this wonderfully dynamic group of Society of 1918 members who truly embody this quote from former W&M Chancellor Margaret Thatcher, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”Please join us as we work together using our philanthropy to “get things done” to help our alma mater, and its women, rise to greater heights!
Congratulations as you approach graduation, and thank you so much for your ongoing support of W&M.
Go Tribe!
Sincerely,
Janet Atwater
Past Chair, Society of 1918
Value Proposition – Society of 1918
We believe that W&M women benefit from strong associations with other W&M women by cultivating shared learnings, experiences and perspectives. The Society of 1918 fosters the engagement of women in the life of the university in active and meaningful ways and impacts W&M’s future through its continued generosity and leadership.
The Society’s philanthropic investment and programming benefits a diverse constituency including current students, alumnae, parents, faculty and staff. Opportunities for W&M women are varied and include serving on a volunteer university board, participating in Society events, mentoring, networking and advocating on behalf of the university while seeking to achieve a level of influence and representation commensurate with the broader W&M community.
Members of the Society provide significant financial support to the university. We believe in our collective impact and in the benefits of a strong and growing network of women who dare to be bold and to inspire others in their commitment to W&M.