North Carolina business leader Louis DeJoy and his wife Dr. Aldona Wos are providing scholarship funding of $100,000 per year over the next five years to enable students attending school in North Carolina and Estonia to attend summer academic internship programs organized by The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) and held in Washington, D.C. Each year one full scholarship is awarded to an Estonian student and full and partial scholarships are awarded to North Carolina students, with priority given to students with financial need. The students will intern with government agencies, media outlets, businesses and nonprofit organizations, while attending classes accredited by George Mason University.

The opportunity to live, learn, and intern in our nation’s capital is a blessing in itself. Being able to explore D.C. through a social, cultural, and political lens and to make career and personal connections is the most exciting aspect. It wouldn’t be possible without this generous scholarship.” – Liliana Vitale, DeJoy-Wos Scholarship Recipient

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 is currently the president of Greensboro-based LDJ Global Strategies. Wos served as ambassador to Estonia from 2004 to 2006, and from 2013 to 2015 she was head of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. As of May 2017, Wos serves as vice-chairwoman of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships.

This year, 14 students attending North Carolina colleges and universities and one Estonian student have been selected to benefit from the scholarships – Sara Rogers, Vanessa Scott, Darla deMontesquiou and Erin Gamba (UNC Chapel Hill), Louisa Sholar (Elon), Faith Engle and Dalia Namak (Wake Forest), Kayla Davis and Taelor Malcolm (UNC Charlotte), Anthony Rodgers-Williams (North Carolina Central), Chad Munger (Duke), Nivra Thornton (North Carolina A&T), Liliana Vitale (UNC Greensboro), Keegan Wiggins (Western Carolina), and Laura Oolup (University of Tartu in Estonia).

[My motivation is] to develop leaders of integrity in North Carolina, Washington and Estonia – leaders who have the commitment to the core principles that lead to economic prosperity and human flourishing. The programs of TFAS develop leaders who make a difference on their campus, in the state capital and at the highest levels of government. We’re pleased to support these students.” – Louis DeJoy

Over the past 13 years, DeJoy and Wos have provided scholarship assistance to enable more than 90 North Carolina and 47 Estonian students to participate in TFAS summer institutes. Louis DeJoy said his motivation is “to develop leaders of integrity in North Carolina, Washington and Estonia, leaders who have the commitment to the core principles that lead to economic prosperity and human flourishing. The programs of TFAS develop leaders who make a difference on their campus, in the state capital and at the highest levels of government. We’re pleased to support these students.”

Roger Ream ’76, 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, Washington and Estonia.”

UNC Chapel Hill student Liliana Vitale, who will be interning with the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, said “The opportunity to live, learn, and intern in our nation’s capital is a blessing in itself. Being able to explore D.C. through a social, cultural, and political lens and to make career and personal connections is the most exciting aspect. It wouldn’t be possible without this generous scholarship.” Another student, Anthony Rodgers-Williams from North Carolina Central University, is looking forward to “studying the intersection of politics and mass communication,” by participating in the political journalism program on a full scholarship. And Laura Oolup from the University of Tartu in Estonia, has never been to the U.S. and believes that “the opportunity to take classes at George Mason University and engage with Americans will be transformational” for her. Laura is interested in pursuing a career in cyber-security and diplomacy.

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 TFAS programs this summer.