Scholarships/Awards

100 Projects for Peace

Davis Projects for Peace is an initiative for all students at the Davis United World College Scholars Program partner schools to design their own grassroots projects for peace that they themselves will implement anywhere in the world during the summer of 2010. Through a competition on over 90 campuses, projects will be selected for funding at $10,000 each.

Who is funding this and why?
Davis Projects for Peaceis being funded by Kathryn W. Davis, a lifelong internationalist and philanthropist (who earned a B.A. from Wellesley, an M.A. from Columbia, and a Ph.D. from the University of Geneva) who is now over 102 years old. She is the mother of Shelby M.C. Davis who funds the Davis UWC Scholars Program currently involving over 90 American colleges and universities. Mrs. Davis feels some urgency to spark initiatives for building prospects for peace in the world and so is committing $1 million to fund one hundred $10,000 projects for peace. She believes that today’s youth – tomorrow’s leaders – ought to be challenged to formulate and test their own ideas.

What do you mean by “projects for peace”?
Intentionally, no clear definition is offered so as not to limit the imagination. We leave it up to the students to define what a “project for peace” might be. We hope to encourage creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. The overall program is to be worldwide in scope and impact, but specific projects may be undertaken anywhere and as grassroots as desired, including in the U.S.

Who is eligible to design a “project for peace”?
Undergraduate students at any of the Davis UWC Scholar schools (including seniors who would complete their projects after graduation) are eligible. While the schools included are restricted to those in the Davis UWC Scholars Program, all undergraduates (not just Davis UWC Scholars at those schools) are eligible. Groups of students from the same campus, as well as individual students, may submit proposals.

How does the funding for these projects work?
Mrs. Davis has committed $1 million to fund Davis Projects for Peace in 2010. While Davis funding per project is limited to $10,000, projects with larger budgets are welcome as is co-funding from other sources (such as other philanthropists, a college or university, foundation, NGO/PVO or students’ own fundraising).