Update (March 20)
Doctoral candidates Rebecca Burns and Jessica Hinshaw (Human and Organizational Learning) have moved to the final round! They will pitch their ideas at the award ceremony on April 10 from 6-8pm in the Jack Morton Auditorium. View event details >
Learn more about all of the finalists here >
Doctoral candidates Rebecca Burns and Jessica Hinshaw (Human and Organizational Learning) have been named semi-finalists in the Social Innovation Track of the GW New Venture Competition (NVC) for their project, Run the World - Appalachia. The finalists will be announced on March 19.
Run the World - Appalachia empowers low-income, first-generation women in West Virginia to stay in college and become future leaders. By providing mentorship, leadership training, and career support, the organization reduces dropout rates and bridge the gap between education and opportunity, creating a network of resilient women driving economic and social change.
Rebecca Burns serves as the Executive Director and Founder of the organization. The project was actually inspired by her dissertation research at GSEHD. With degrees from West Virginia University and the University of Pittsburgh, Rebecca brings 13 years of experience in higher education administration, demonstrating a strong commitment to fostering women's leadership. Before her academic career, she spent a decade as a resource allocation and budget analyst in various DC municipal government agencies. Rebecca is passionate about empowering women and creating a brighter future for her home state.
Jessica Hinshaw, Health Director at the National Association of Community Health Centers, serves as a board member and volunteer for Run the World - Appalachia. With a Master of Public Health from Vanderbilt University, she has extensive experience in community-based maternal and child health initiatives in Nicaragua. As a lecturer at the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica, Jess is committed to fostering leadership skills in diverse contexts. Her research at the intersection of health, environment, and social entrepreneurship positions her as a valuable asset in advancing initiatives that empower women leaders.
We wish Rebecca and Jessica the best of luck in the competition!