On April 7th and 8th, GW celebrated Giving Day 2026, and the GW Engineering community came together to champion the school and help write its next chapter. GW Engineering stood out as one of the most engaged communities across the university, with more than 160 donors giving a total of $182,871 to support the school's future.
The GW Engineering community successfully met every match and challenge, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of alumni and friends who made every gift count. Alumni Brian Schmanske, '03, and Vicki Schmanske, '93, inspired giving by matching contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000. Sheila Myers unlocked an additional $40,000 once 50 donors had made their gifts, and alumni Sasha Pailet Koff, ‘97, and Matthew Koff, ‘97, unlocked an additional $50,000 for student success after 100 donors made a gift.
These funds fuel the teams, programs, and experiences that make GW Engineering such a vibrant place to learn and grow. Support from Giving Day strengthens initiatives such as the hands-on Electric Yacht and GW Rocket student organizations, the SEAS Student Peer Advisory Network (SEASSPAN), and the Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Assistant (UTLA) program.
Many students, like engineering management and systems engineering junior Maddie Wilson, observe the benefits of these gifts firsthand. As a SEASSPAN mentor and member of the GW Rocket team, these experiences have helped her gain hands-on skills beyond the classroom, collaborate with peers from across the school, and travel to represent GW at the International Rocket Engineering Competition, one of the largest student rocketry events in the world.
Wilson was thrilled to hear of the total raised on Giving Day and expressed sincere thanks to the generous donors. “Your contribution will open doors for students just like me to make their mark at GW,” she said.
During Giving Day, the Science and Engineering Hall (SEH) buzzed with activity as students, faculty, and staff found numerous ways to enjoy the celebration. From GW Engineering giveaways and interactive photo opportunities to yummy treats, the atmosphere in SEH was joyful as well as generous.
“GW Engineering is defined by our engaged, vibrant community, in the SEH and beyond,” said Jason Zara, GW Engineering’s Interim Dean. “Giving Day perfectly exemplified this and showed us all that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are thrilled to empower the next generation of engineers and computer scientists. I couldn’t be prouder of our community or more grateful for their contributions. I look forward to seeing how they support our school’s continued innovation and success.”
