The McGowan Fund is partnering with 10 top MBA programs across the United States to present a fellowship to one second-year MBA student from each school who has demonstrated academic excellence and social leadership during their first year of MBA studies and has also demonstrated finaincail need. The award will cover the full cost of tuition for the second year of their studies. Additionally, the fellows will present a case study in business to the McGowan Fund Board of Directors at a conference each fall. Through this conference, which also will be open to alumni of the fellowship program, the McGowan Fund hopes to build a network of future leaders honoring the legacy of the organization’s namesake, who was a successful entrepreneur and founder of MCI Communications.

In addition to financial need successful candidates must have achieved academic excellence (minimum 3.0 GPA), exceptional leadership ability, philanthropic activity, and a significant involvement in campus and community activities. It also recognizes excellence of character, a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial potential.

A student must be nominated for this award by at least one faculty member of the business school. Final decisions will be made by the dean and the appointed committee of the business school. As a part of the competition, applicants must submit the following two essays to the Business Faculty Committee of the college or university:

  • An essay of 1,000 words or more on the contributions of William G. McGowan to today’s business world in general, and to the telecommunications field in particular.
  • An essay (no word count minimum) that clearly demonstrates the student’s potential and aspirations to transfer their academic knowledge into today’s business world.

And what are the participating schools? They are,

  • Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business,
  • Columbia Business School,
  • Duke University Fuqua School of Business,
  • Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business,
  • MIT Sloan School of Business,
  • Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management,
  • Stanford University Graduate School of Business,
  • University of Chicago Booth School of Business,
  • University of Michigan Ross School of Business
  • University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School