Landmark gift provides need-based undergraduate scholarships for UK students
Alumnus Carl Richardson, MA ’99, and his family have generously created an endowed scholarship at GW through the Richardson Brothers Foundation. The Richardson Family Scholarship, established in perpetuity, will offer scholarships to UK citizens—or citizens of countries in the British Commonwealth—seeking to study in America at the Elliott School. The scholarship is a charitable milestone for the Foundation, marking its first major gift to a U.S. university.
Reflecting on his time at the Elliott School, Richardson said, “My graduate studies at the Elliott School provided me with an important perspective on international business and global geopolitics. As our business continues to expand our investment activity in America, this is a perspective that my family and I would now like to share with future generations of UK students seeking to study in the U.S.”
Dean Alyssa Ayres added, “We deeply appreciate the outstanding generosity of Carl Richardson and his brothers in establishing the new Richardson Family Scholarship at our school. Education is one of the most powerful ways to change the world for the better, and scholarships are so important in our times.”
In addition to his philanthropic efforts, Carl Richardson is actively involved at the Elliott School as co-chair of the Executive Circle of the University’s Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP). This alumni leadership group—which includes senior global executives, including co-chair Lisa Schroeter, BA ‘92, the Global Director of Trade & Investment Policy at Dow—advises the Dean and academic leaders on current trends in international economic policy, supports students, and helps advance the IIEP’s mission.
Since 2022, the Richardson business has also hosted the Elliott School’s global thought leadership event for alumni living in the London area as part of the school’s Dean’s Global Perspectives Series. This year’s event, held on September 11, took place at the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster, further showcasing the Richardson family’s commitment to fostering international dialogue and understanding.