Author donates 1.1 million to Wilder School

Bestselling author and VCU graduate David Baldacci and his wife, Michelle, will give $1.1 million to the College of Humanities and Sciences.

The gift announced on Oct. 6, comes in two parts: An endowed experiential learning fund and an endowed scholarship of $100,000.

The Baldacci Student Experiential Learning Endowed Fund will create monetary opportunities for students in the college to pursue supplementary learning opportunities during their time at VCU.

The money will be student-oriented and support endeavors like internships, study abroad programs, entrepreneurship opportunities, professional conferences and research grants.

Much of the inspiration behind this donation came from a program that sent VCU political science students to New Hampshire in 2016. The college sought donors for the trip and Baldacci contributed.

Alexandra Reckendorf, associate chair of the Department of Political Science, and several students to meet presidential candidates, volunteered and gained hands-on experience of how campaigns run while in New Hampshire.

“Mr. Baldacci is very interested in increasing civic engagement,” Reckendorf said. “He was excited to learn that many students who had never volunteered on campaigns in the past continued to do so once they returned to Richmond.”

Baldacci, upon learning about how confidence-boosting the experience was for those students, began to think about a more lasting contribution for others to be able to share the same opportunities.

Deirdre Condit, associate dean for Faculty Affairs for the college, said she could see the clear impact on the students who went to New Hampshire.

“[The fund] will transform the lives of student in the College of Humanities and Sciences in perpetuity,” Condit said. “Some will be individual, group or class advantages.”

Bethanie Constant is the senior director of development for the College of Humanities and Sciences at VCU. She believes the Baldacci family has made a long-term investment because they really believe in VCU students.

The Baldacci Political Science Endowed Scholarship is for students who Baldacci sees himself in said Constant. He put himself through college and now wants to give back to similar students.

“I was a first-generation college student who had to work through school,” she said. “I was able to get internships because of donors like the Baldaccis.”

Montse Fuentes, dean of the college, said the donation will bring unique opportunities through real-world learning.

“Experiential learning is at the core of the liberal arts training we offer in the College of Humanities and Sciences,” Fuentes said. “This gift will provide invaluable means to enhance the success of our students.”

More information about the fund will be available in January including an application for students.

The scholarship will be awarded to the first recipients in fall 2018. Rising juniors and seniors who major in political science, have a 3.0 GPA or higher, work full or part-time and are actively involved in their community are qualified to apply.

Nia Tariq, Contributing Writer