Students Encouraged to Apply for a Johnson Opportunity Grant in 2026 The grant provides funds to support W&L student projects worldwide.

By Brian Laubscher
January 16, 2026

The Johnson Opportunity Grant program at Washington and Lee University provides funds to support W&L student projects all around the world. The grants, which are awarded on a competitive basis, are open to any W&L student who will be a sophomore, junior or senior during the 2025–26 academic year.

The grant covers travel, living expenses and any additional costs associated with the proposed project or summer activity. Funding is typically not granted for taking courses abroad unless the course is not offered at W&L or exceeds the depth of study of a W&L course.

Grant funding has been awarded for varied projects and is intended to lower barriers to access for opportunities, including providing support during unpaid internships, funding travel to conferences and providing funding for project materials on and off campus.

“The Johnson Opportunity Grant seeks to recognize and develop leadership in all its many forms,” said Haley Richard ’22, Johnson Program coordinator and a former grant recipient. “Whether you’re getting hands on experience through an internship or research, volunteering around the world or honing performance arts skills, we’re here to help make opportunities possible while challenging students to consider and expand their impact on their communities.”

During the 2024–25 school year, 82 students were awarded Opportunity Grants and 78 accepted, participating in summer programming that spanned 24 different countries and five continents. Some students used the funds to supplement unpaid internships around the country, while others used the funds to work on passion projects.

Internships included agricultural research in Pennsylvania, analyst and consulting work in Helsinki and political internships on Capitol Hill. Another student took classes at the Vogue College of Fashion in Madrid and one student conducted multiple myeloma research at the Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Additional grants helped work toward the establishment of a library in Nepal, English language programs for youth in Ethiopia, mountaineering in the Swiss Alps and studying climate change in Tanzania. The programs all resulted in practical and tangible experiences for W&L students to continue their education outside of the traditional classroom.

Issac James ’27, a studio art and mathematics double major from Charlottesville, Virginia, spent his summer traveling the west coast of the U.S. interviewing studios, suppliers and specialists about the cultural importance of printmaking.

“Thanks to the Johnson Opportunity Grant, I was able to visit printmaking communities in California and Oregon,” said James. “I made some amazing connections and friends, received excellent guidance in studio methods and got to work with printmakers like Yuji Hiratsuka, Kelly Autumn and Rik Olson. Ultimately, this experience culminated in my acceptance to the California Society of Printmakers. I am so grateful for the Johnson Program at W&L and all the support I received from professors, family and friends.”

Gabriel Castillo ’28 used his Johnson Opportunity Grant last summer to perform public health research in Uganda, focusing on expanding access to healthcare for individuals suffering from mental health issues and HIV.

“My experience in Uganda was humbling and formative,” said Castillo, a biology major from San Antonio. “The time I spent at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital was especially impactful; practicing healthcare in a heavily resource-limited setting was uniquely challenging and at times emotionally demanding, but the ingenuity and hope I witnessed there reinforced my decision to pursue a career in medicine. I was also fortunate enough to help conduct some truly impactful research on HIV and depression alongside an incredible team. I’m eternally grateful that I was able to participate in this fellowship, which was only made possible through the support of the Johnson Opportunity Grant.”

Shaylin Ainsworth ’28, a neuroscience major from Chesapeake, Virginia, used her grant funding to complete an intensive eight-week emergency medical technician (EMT) training, earning certification as part of her path toward admission to medical school.

“The program challenged me academically, physically and mentally, pushing me to develop discipline, adaptability and strong teamwork skills in high-pressure environments,” said Ainsworth. “Passing the NREMT [National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians] exam and going on to serve as a volunteer EMT with the Lexington Fire Department is a milestone I am incredibly proud of. This experience reaffirmed my commitment to service and leadership and gave me firsthand insight into the responsibility and compassion required in emergency medicine and other service-oriented careers.”

Johnson Opportunity Grants vary in amount depending on proposed budgets and the reasonably predicted costs associated with travel, living expenses and other necessary costs. Grants range from $1,000 to $6,000, though additional money may be requested for students with financial aid packages who may experience lost summer wages.

The deadlines to apply for the 2026 Johnson Opportunity Grants are Jan. 30, 2026, and March 15, 2026.