George Hacks is honored to have received a donation from the Neilon Foundation for our team’s collaborative effort during this pandemic. The donation was specifically given for our work in COVID related projects as well as our virtual engagement with our audience to promote our events and projects. 

The Neilom Foundation was founded in 2013 by GW alumnus Davinder Anand, a Mechanical Engineering Professor Emeritus and Director of the Center of Engineering Concepts Development (CECD) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Their mission is “To support a new generation of enthusiastic scientists and engineers creating positive social impact using technology.” 

The foundation supports their mission by fostering a community for engineers and scientists alike for the purpose of creating significant social impact. They do this in one of three ways; 

1. Each year the Neilom Foundation hosts The Fresh Approach using Science and Technology video competition (FAST) for UMD students
2. Hiring science and engineering Neilom Interns to work on social impact projects 
3. “Awarding prizes and fellows to recognize and encourage outstanding contributions.”

Since its establishment, the Neilom Foundation has reached over 11,000 people, of which several individuals have been awarded. Among these awardees were George Hacks Former and Current Directors, Caitlyn Pratt and Karen Rius respectively, both of whom were awarded the Neilom Prize for Social Impact for their work during their undergraduate careers. In addition to individuals, the Neilom Foundation has also awarded 40 grants to Nonprofit organizations, George Hacks being one of them. 

Upon this donation George Hacks would like to thank the Neilson Foundation for their support as well as all of our partners, sponsors, GW faculty, and participants without which we would not have been able to develop into the organization we are now.