Georgetown University

Fourteen years ago, the Annexstad Family Foundation (AFF) and Georgetown University began a partnership grounded in their mutual commitment to educational access. Through its Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) program, AFF provides scholarships to Georgetown undergraduates who have significant financial need and demonstrate exceptional leadership potential. At Georgetown, Annexstad Scholars become part of a university community dedicated to their growth and success as they journey to, through, and beyond college.  

Since 2012, AFF has supported 25 Scholars at Georgetown—18 graduates and seven current undergraduates—elevating their college experience and their future impact. 

Ka’ja Joyce ‘26 is majoring in psychology and minoring in cognitive science. “Combining these two fields offers me the humanities and science perspectives on human behavior, which has given me a lot of insight into the true impact of good or poor mental health,” she says.  

Ka’ja plans to pursue a doctorate and someday open her own life-coaching consulting firm. “In the meantime,” Ka’ja shares, “I'm interested in engaging with youth education and empowerment avenues to work with other students of marginalized backgrounds.” 

At Georgetown, Ka’ja has been an integral member of the teaching team for “Mastering the Hidden Curriculum,” a three-credit class designed for students who identify as first-generation and/or low-income. The course demystifies the unspoken rules of college, such as how to use office hours, and connects students with vital campus resources. Ka’ja is also president of Georgetown’s Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s D.C. chapter and the former co-captain of the university’s Boxing Club.   

Reflecting on her experience as an Annexstad Scholar, Ka’ja says care packages and campus visits from the foundation have been deeply meaningful. “It has been so reassuring and helpful to know that there are people invested in my college success,” she adds. Ka’ja’s advice to future Scholars: “Don't ever underestimate your ability to succeed and remember that there are so many resources for you to reach out for when you need extra support!” 

Makiah (Kiah) Marson ‘28 is majoring in Culture and Politics with minors in Spanish and Anthropology. “I chose these topics to give voice to communities who are not often represented while learning about, and getting involved with, policy making,” Kiah says, adding that they hope to eventually pursue a career as a Foreign Service Officer. 

Kiah is nurturing those interests by participating in GU Students for Prison Justice, in which small groups of volunteers make weekly visits to people incarcerated at detention facilities, discussing topics ranging from how to secure their GED to their day-to-day lives. This summer, Kiah will conduct a research project in Peru about Indigenous experiences in the carceral system and how they are impacted by other identities, such as gender and economic status. 

“I am so grateful to engage with the world in the way that I have, which I could not have done without Annexsted—the community fostered has given me the confidence and knowledge to pursue unique opportunities,” Kiah says.  

“Feeling like you got lucky or that you are falling behind your peers is such a common experience, especially for first-generation, low-income students,” Kiah says, adding that it is important for Scholars to remember that “there is a reason you are where you are.”   

Building that sense of belonging is a goal shared by both AFF and Georgetown, whose Jesuit tradition of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, guides the university’s approach to student well-being. Every Annexstad Scholar at Georgetown participates in Georgetown Scholars Program, which provides wraparound services for first-generation, limited-income students and has an impressive 94% graduation rate. Through GSP, Scholars gain access to advising and peer- and alumni- mentorship; professional development and community-building opportunities; emergency grants; and courses like “The Hidden Curriculum” and its bookend, “The Graduate: The Hidden Curriculum of Post-College Life.”  

Many Annexstad Scholars also participate in Georgetown’s Community Scholars Program, which works hand-in-hand with GSP. Founded in 1968, the Community Scholars Program has been a pioneer in providing academic support to first-generation college students from under-resourced high schools, beginning with a rigorous five-week pre-orientation on Georgetown’s campus the summer before students’ first year.  

With this network of support, Georgetown’s Annexstad Scholars lead with confidence and purpose—experiences they’ll carry forward into their communities and futures.  

"The Annexstad Foundation and we know that these investments in our students have an exponential impact,” says GSP Executive Director Melissa “Missy” Foy. “When students have a supportive community, the financial resources they need, and the freedom to participate fully in their education, they flourish in college. Scholars like Kiah and Ka’ja are doing incredible things at Georgetown and out in the world that will impact whole new generations. I genuinely see such a positive difference for our students lucky enough to go through college with AFF’s support.”