Scholarships Help North Carolina & Estonia Student Leaders Live, Learn and Intern in Washington, D.C.

North Carolina business leader Louis DeJoy and his wife Aldona Wos are providing over $50,000 in scholarship funding to enable college students in North Carolina to attend The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) summer academic internship programs held in Washington, D.C. The students will intern with government agencies, media outlets, businesses and nonprofit organizations, while attending classes accredited through George Mason University.

In addition to these scholarships, DeJoy and Wos are providing nearly $10,000 in scholarship funding to enable an Estonian student to attend this same program in Washington. Wos served as ambassador to Estonia from 2004 to 2006. DeJoy is the former chairman and chief executive officer of New Breed Logistics, a major employer in the Triad region, which he merged with XPO Logistics in 2014. He now serves on the board of XPO Logistics and is currently the president of Greensboro-based LDJ Global Strategies.

This year, 10 students attending North Carolina colleges and universities have been selected to benefit from the scholarships – Victoria Allred (East Carolina), Justin Cole (UNC Chapel Hill), John Foulkes (UNC Chapel Hill), Neariah Mandisa (UNC Charlotte), Kathryn Manning (Garner-Webb), Sary Martinez-Mendoza (Elon), Martiatu Okonfua (Elon), Connor Torossian (Elon), Nathan Osborn (Wake Forest) and Phillip Yurchenko (Wake Forest).

Over the past 12 years, DeJoy and Wos have provided scholarship assistance to more than 80 North Carolina and Estonian students. Louis DeJoy said, “We have a need for leaders of integrity in North Carolina and in Washington, leaders who have the commitment to the core principles that have created economic prosperity and human flourishing. The programs of TFAS develop leaders who make a difference on the campus, in the state capital and at the highest levels of our federal government. We’re pleased to support these students.”

Roger Ream, president of The Fund for American Studies, said, “These generous scholarships will give students the opportunity to gain real-world experience in our nation’s capital, along with the chance to learn more about the institutions of American government. In a very real and concrete way, these scholarships change lives and help develop the future leaders of North Carolina.”

Elon University student Connor Torossian, who will be interning on Capitol Hill in the office of Rep. Peter King, said, “I am ecstatic to be given this opportunity to spend my time in Washington, D.C. this summer. The experience and connections will have a lasting impact on my career.” Another student, Justin Cole from UNC, will be interning with the Justice Department this summer and said, “I am so grateful for this scholarship. This is really the opportunity of a lifetime.”

In addition to their internships and classes at George Mason University, students will attend site briefings, guest lectures, professional development seminars and other networking events. Almost 600 college students from across the U.S. and around the world will be participating in programs sponsored by TFAS this summer. To learn more, visit www.TFAS.org/Programs.