1LT Todd Weaver
In Memory of 1LT Todd William Weaver
October 22, 1983 - September 9, 2010
Killed In Action Kandahar, Afghanistan
1LT Todd W. Weaver Memorial Study Abroad Award
Will be awarded annually to a student who has demonstrated academic excellence and is majoring in Government or International Relations. The award will be used to help fund an academic study abroad experience.
Believing, with prescience, that Russian affairs would be critically important to the future of his country, Todd traveled abroad during his senior year at William and Mary to study the language and culture in St. Petersburg. In order to pay the additional expenses for this semester abroad, Todd sold a motorcycle that he had purchased upon his return from a one year tour of duty deployed with the National Guard to Mosul, Iraq. After Todd was killed, this memory led us to establish the William and Mary 1LT Todd Weaver Memorial Study Abroad Award.
The Scholarship drive was a grassroots, community-driven effort to remember Todd and honor his sacrifice. More than 8,000 people contributed small and large donations. The Award was fully endowed by August 2011, and the first recipient was awarded a scholarship on the anniversary of Todd's birth, October 22, 2011.
Recipients
The award is made during the spring by the combined department of Government, International Affairs and Economics. Travel abroad then takes place in the summer, fall or spring depending on the recipient's needs.
October 22,2011: David Newbrander left for study abroad in Amman, Jordan in January 2012
October 26, 2012: Dylan R. Kolhoff departed in August for his overseas study abroad in Beijing, China.
October 22, 2011: David Newbrander left for study abroad in Amman, Jordan in January 2012.
October, 2013: Bridget Skorup was headed to Muscat, Oman. She was the first woman to receive the award and hopes to pursue a career in the foreign service or other international endeavors. We met her on October 25, 2013 at the annual Scholarship luncheon.
October 17, 2014: Logan Ferrell was awarded the fourth Study Abroad Scholarship. Logan, an ROTC cadet, studied in St. Petersburg Russia just as Todd had done seven years earlier.
Awarded May, 2015: Prior to the summer session the award was presented to Will Evans. Will studied in Bhutan where he reported midway through his studies that he had gotten to know many locals, hiked through the Himalayas and learned about local flora and fauna.We met Will on Homecoming weekend in Oct., 2015. Like Todd, Will looks comfortanble in his surrounding in this far away country.
October 15, 2016: Liam Kierans is pictured with Prof. John McGlennon and Jeanne and Donn Weaver in the newly renovated Tyler Building at the annual Government, International Relations, Economics and Public Policy Alumni Brunch when he was awarded the 1LT Todd W. Weaver Study Abroad Award. Liam will be traveling to study in northern China later this year.
August, 2017: Over the summer Molly Dinneen studied abroad in Potsdam, Germany. She explored the culture, worked on German grammar and attended cultural classes at the University of Potsdam. She was delighted to meet the Weavers at the 2017 Award luncheon. She is pictured above in front of the Neues Palais at the University of Potsdam.
In addition a second W&M student received the award in 2017. She is Mia Rachel Harris who studied abroad in 2017 in Capetown, South Africa.
2018: Allison Ramirez is a government and History double major who will graduate in May 2019. Alison traveled for study in Prague, Czech Republic where she did a W&M summer study abroad program. The second experience included two stops. One in Utrecht, Netherlands and another in Parnu, Estonia. This was part of the University of Tartu International Summer Program on European Encounters: Diversity and Integration from East to West.
2019: In October of 2019 the Government Department of the College announced two Study Abroad award winners. Additional funds were available from the Endowment in Todd's memory but also from the Government Dept.
Jack Readman was one winner. He is traveling throughout Europe on a comparative study program. In a letter he wrote "Thank you for your generous donation from the Weaver Scholarship. This will be my first time traveling outside the United States. As an International Relations major studying abroad will hugely important to my education at W&M. As a film minor I am also excited about my invitation to the Venice film festival as an accredited student."
Morgan Pincombe received the second award. She is government programs and cultural issues in Dakar Senegal. She wrote from Africa "I am truly grateful for the ultimate sacrifice Todd made. I aspire to continue his legacy of serving others. I chose Dakar, Senegal and a special program with the Peace Corps for my studies abroad. Ultimately, I aspire to work for a Development Organization or the State Dept. particularly in sub- Sahara, Africa.
2021-22: Sayyed Hadi Razmo- Oxford University
2022: Franchesca Johnson - Keio University, Japan
2022: Samuel Specht - Salzburg, Austria
October 7, 2022, Caroline Rivera is awarded the travel abroad scholarship. She will be studying in Peru. With her in the photo is Todd's older brother Glenn who attended the Awards luncheon representing Todd's family.
2023 Katherine Casagrande won the scholarship and studied in several cities in Italy. Her ambition is to become a lawyer and work in the foreign service. Her dad served for 28 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and this attracted her to apply to the Todd Award.