Recent gifts advance Georgetown’s commitment to the common good – Stewardship

Georgetown’s philanthropic community is a critical partner in the university’s ongoing efforts to meet the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Here are the stories of several recent gifts and longtime donors who have fueled transformative impacts.

GUMC Gap Fund advances innovative research

The Georgetown University Medical Center’s Gap Fund continues to provide innovative medical research through a collaboration between the Office of Advancement and the Office of Technology Commercialization.

Now in its third year, the Gap Fund was created through a $1M gift from Bill Baker (C’54) and Ruth Baker (Parents’80, ’84, ’88) to support research at stages when funding can be difficult to secure.

Inaugural endowed chair and center focuses on faith and justice

The Georgetown community celebrates the investiture of Rev. Jim Wallis, a renowned theologian, author, teacher, and activist, as the inaugural Archbishop Desmond Tutu Chair in Faith and Justice at the McCourt School of Public Policy. Wallis directs the university’s Center on Faith and Justice, which he founded in 2021. Under his directorship, the center focuses on advancing the public’s understanding of the role of faith in politics and civic life.

The chair and the center were made possible by a landmark gift from donors who are longtime supporters of higher education and work at the intersection of faith, justice, and public life.

Donor gift supports leaders in global business

Joseph (B’93) and Abigail (SFS’96) Baratta made an $11 million gift to the McDonough School of Business, building on the foundation of previous gifts by the Baratta family and the success of the Georgetown McDonough Global Business Initiative.

This multifaceted gift supports Georgetown McDonough’s ambition to become the world’s premier destination to study global business, reflecting the donors’ conviction that providing students with real-world connections and engagement in global business will best prepare them for leadership.

Gender Justice & Opportunity Initiative receives landmark support

The Initiative on Gender Justice & Opportunity at Georgetown Law, which works to advance race and gender equity for girls and gender-expansive youth, received an $800,000 gift from #StartSmall, Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative for crisis relief, girls’ health and education, and universal basic income. It’s the largest single gift or grant the Initiative has received in their decade of work.

The gift will be used over several years to hire more staff, deepen research, produce more reports and events, expand the youth advisors program, and establish more cross-campus partnerships, including with Georgetown’s Racial Justice Institute.