Vessey Fellowship to Help Disabled Veterans Earn MBA

A lifetime military career serving America is a tribute to the patriotism of GW alumnus Gen. John W. Vessey Jr. (Ret.). But this former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff continues to honor his country and his graduate university in a personal way—by dedicating considerable resources to help disabled veterans.

Vessey’s gift will endow the Gen. John W. Vessey Graduate Fellowship program to help disabled veterans earn an MBA degree at the GW School of Business. Vessey earned his MBA at GW in 1965 while he was an Army officer stationed at the Pentagon. He served as chair of the joint chiefs under President Ronald Reagan before retiring from the U.S. Army in 1985 after 46 years of military service.

“This graduate fellowship was an opportunity to help others, and we had the ability to do it,” said Vessey, who has lived in his home state of Minnesota since retirement. Vessey returned to GW this spring to deliver the keynote address at the School of Business’s undergraduate graduation ceremonies.

Vessey said he was in part motivated to create and endow the unique fellowship program because of visits he makes to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., for his annual checkups. “I see all these very talented young people with serious disabilities,” he says. “It seemed appropriate to put at least one little drop in the pool to give them some help.”

The retired general plans to continue supporting the fellowship program in future years and hopes to see other alumni join him in supporting veterans seeking graduate degrees.

While the primary intent of his gift is to help disabled veterans, in accordance with University standards others may receive the fellowships if no veterans apply in a particular year. The first fellowships will be awarded in the fall of 2008.

Story courtesy of GW School of Business