Virginia Press Women Foundation

An answered prayer.

The courage to apply for graduate school.

  Recognition from professionals in my dream career. 

Recent recipients of the VPW Foundation scholarships share three characteristics: They demonstrated commitment to a career in communications, they needed financial help, and the scholarships made a difference in their lives.

You can help us continue to make a difference for promising communications students who show a commitment to this career. 

We hear about the increases in college tuition and fees, but did you know that the average cost of textbooks for a year in a U.S. college is about $1,100? Book costs are so high, surveys have found, that many students do not buy them, even though they fear doing without will hurt their grade. 

Your gift helps us, whether you send a one-time contribution, include a donation in your will or make annual gifts.

We operate frugally. We have no paid staff and our board consists of unpaid volunteer professional communicators, so our annual costs, including our scholarship award and associated expenses, are typically about 1% of assets. 

Please donate today!

WHY DO WE DONATE? 

As a professional communicator, I contribute to the VPW Foundation out of gratitude for my own good fortune at the College of William and Mary. Because of scholarship donors, I never had to work more than 12 hours a week during the nine-month college year, which left adequate time not only for studying but also for volunteer communications work. I was lucky to graduate with only half of my tuition, room and board as debt. My present donations are recognition that today's students -- who are often working more hours and having to borrow a higher percentage of their college costs -- need help. Martha Steger, past president, VPW; member, Virginia Communications Hall of Fame; Thomas Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Relations, PRSA

A scholarship covered my college expenses with a little left for spending money at the start of each semester. That luxury let me become almost a full-time student-journalist. I'm in awe of students who manage to cope with today's staggering college costs and still manage to excel. That's why I support the VPW Foundation to recognize and help aspiring communicators.       Louise C. Seals, past president, VPW; 1997 Communicator of Achievement, NFPW; member, Virginia Communications Hall of Fame