Celebrate 20 Years of Transforming Lives
Our 20th anniversary is a time to celebrate the impact we’ve built together over two decades. To mark this milestone, we are introducing our 20 for 20 Planned Giving Initiative, inviting supporters to consider how their values can create opportunity for generations to come.
Together, we can ensure that future scholars continue to experience the life-changing power of education.
Join the 20 for 20 InitiativeWhat's Happening at WMI?
We’re delighted to welcome Claire Marie Thomas to the WMI Board of Directors! 🌱✨
Claire is a Vice President at Vision Ridge Partners, where she focuses on strategies that deliver both strong financial performance and meaningful environmental impact. With a global perspective shaped by her education at IE Business School and experience across leading financial institutions—including Macquarie Capital and Morgan Stanley—Claire brings deep expertise at the intersection of finance and sustainability.
She has long been passionate about expanding access to education and empowering the next generation of changemakers. As she shares:
“I was inspired to join WMI’s Board by its mission to support students who have the talent and drive to create change but lack financial resources. What resonates most is WMI’s focus on building a global network of leaders committed to paying it forward. I’m excited to contribute my experience in sustainability and investing to help strengthen WMI’s long-term impact and amplify the stories of its scholars.”
We’re so grateful to have you with us, Claire—welcome! 💛
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We’re honored to welcome Adewale Jamesons Akinrinde to the WMI Board of Directors! 🌍✨
A Nigerian-born financial services professional and community leader based in New Jersey, Jamesons brings an invaluable blend of strategic insight and a heart for service. In his role as Vice President in Product Management and Financial Advisory at Merrill Lynch | Bank of America Corporation, he leads with expertise in financial strategy and product innovation. Beyond his corporate work, he serves as Treasurer of FAOD and as an associate pastor within RCCG.
Grounded in his experience as a Nigerian immigrant and his enduring ties to the communities WMI serves, Jamesons brings a passion for expanding access to education, opportunity, and to economic empowerment.
As he shares:
“Growing up in Nigeria, I witnessed firsthand how access to education can change the trajectory of a family, and how often it’s limited not by ability, but by resources. That story is personal to me, and it’s exactly what WMI is working to rewrite. I’m excited to contribute strategic thinking and financial stewardship to help WMI’s impact reach even further.”
We’re so grateful to have you with us, Jamesons—welcome! 💛
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“When war nearly ended my dream of becoming a health professional, WMI made it possible for me to finish my education. Today, I serve my community in South Sudan as a nurse.”
— Gatduel Badeng Wich Kang, 2025 Alum
Across Africa and beyond, communities need more than short-term aid—they need leaders who stay and build lasting change.
That’s what WMI does.
By supporting first-generation college students with scholarships, leadership training, and a global network, WMI helps learning stay local and leadership grow where it’s needed most.
Because of supporters like you:
🎓 Students earn degrees and become leaders
🌱 Alumni stay and strengthen their communities
🌍 Local solutions create lasting impact
And it multiplies—75% of WMI alumni go on to support someone else’s education.
Now, we’re launching our IGNITING CHANGE campaign.
Our goal is $150,000 by June 30th.
You can help fund the next generation of community leaders like Gatduel.
Be part of leadership that lasts.
💝 DONATE TODAY: secure.qgiv.com/for/ignitingchange2026/
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WMI Strategic Vision: 2025–2030
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