Washington and Lee Receives $75,000 Freeman Foundation Grant for Internships in Southeast Asia The grant will establish a six-week summer internship program for W&L students in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.

By Brian Laubscher
November 4, 2026

Washington and Lee University has received a $75,000 grant from the Freeman Foundation to establish the W&L Freeman Fellowship in Asia program, a dedicated six-week summer internship that will expand access to culturally immersive professional experiences in Southeast Asia.

The program will place students in internships based in Southeast Asia, primarily in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. It intends to use a cohort model that combines the support of group travel and shared community with the independence of individual internship placements.

“I’m thrilled that this grant will open doors for our students to gain meaningful professional experience in Asia while immersing themselves in new cultures and exploring a different part of the world,” said Molly Steele, dean of career and professional development. “These experiences will help students build confidence, develop a global perspective and discover new possibilities for their futures both personally and professionally.”

W&L will supplement the Freeman Foundation grant so that each participant receives up to $9,000 to cover international airfare, housing, meals and program support.

In the program’s first year, W&L will partner with Global Academic Ventures (GAV), an organization with which the university has a long history of overseas programming. For the past eight years, W&L students have taken part in GAV’s Internship and Study Semester in the Asia Pacific program, studying in Sydney before completing full-time internships in cities such as Auckland, New Zealand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore; and Hong Kong.

Building on that partnership, W&L expects to place a cohort of four to 12 students in Southeast Asia each summer. The program’s cost structure is designed to broaden student access while allowing the internships to grow sustainably over time.

“I believe some of the most meaningful learning happens when students step outside what is familiar and experience the world from a different cultural perspective,” said Cindy Irby, associate director of W&L’s Center for International Education and study abroad adviser. “An internship in Malaysia, Vietnam or Thailand allows students to see firsthand how tradition and modernity intersect and how people navigate a rapidly changing world while maintaining their cultural identities. These experiences encourage students to question their assumptions, appreciate different ways of life and develop a deeper understanding of their place in a global community.”

Applications for the Freeman Fellowship in Asia program are expected to open soon and will be announced through the Career and Professional Development Canvas Course. The deadline for applying for Summer 2027 internships will be Jan. 30, 2027.

The Freeman Foundation was established in 1992 through the bequest and in memory of the businessman and benefactor Mansfield Freeman, a co-founder of the international insurance and financial conglomerate American International Group, Inc. (AIG). This private and philanthropic foundation is dedicated to augmenting international understanding between the United States and the nations of East Asia. It accomplishes this principally through the distribution of grants in the educational sector.