Since it was founded by philanthropist Shelby Davis and international educator Phil Geier in 2000, the Davis UWC Scholars Program has become the largest privately funded international scholarship programme in the world. More than 900 million USD in scholarships have supported over 15,000 UWC graduates from around 160 countries to study at leading US universities and make a positive impact around the world.

UWC International’s Executive Director, Faith Abiodun, will join alumni, university partners and friends at the 25th anniversary gathering at Wellesley College, one of the first Davis UWC Scholars partner schools. All UWC schools will be represented. The event will celebrate 25 years of partnership and the lasting impact of these scholarships. 

In the words of Rosette Hobeich, a Dare to Dream and Davis UWC Scholar from Lebanon:

“Dare to Dream was the biggest stepping stone of my academic trajectory. Shelby Davis ensured I had all my needs covered beyond simply attending school. Now I’m studying International Security Studies at the University of Oklahoma, and I’ve had multiple opportunities to travel and study abroad – but none of this would have happened without the foundations the Davis scholarship provided.”

These scholarships show what UWC is all about: unlocking the potential of young people to become catalysts for a more peaceful and sustainable world, not only during their time at UWC schools and colleges, but for life.

Alongside the Davis UWC Scholars Program, Shelby and Gale Davis, together with Phil Geier, also founded Dare to Dream – UWC’s largest and most transformative scholarship initiative. Since 2018, Dare to Dream has enabled students from less-advantaged backgrounds to access a UWC education they might never have imagined possible. Dare to Dream now supports up to 350 students each year across our schools and colleges, helping to strengthen the diversity of our student community and giving hundreds more young people the chance to become changemakers for a better future.

Together, these programmes are proof of what is possible when vision and generosity come together to create real, lasting change.

• Read more in the special 25th Anniversary Davis UWC Scholars Program Annual Report
• Explore the  UWC International impact report featuring more inspiring stories of Davis UWC and Dare to Dream Scholars.

As we look to the next 25 years, we celebrate our students, our alumni and our partners, who share our commitment to making education a true force for unity and opportunity worldwide.