51ºÚÁÏÍø

George and Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77 Launch New Scholarship for High-Achieving Maryland Students

by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77 and her husband, George, have long supported programs and initiatives that strengthen 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s mission. Now, as 51ºÚÁÏÍø undertakes the most ambitious scholarship campaign in its history, they’ve launched an intensive and personally meaningful scholarship program—one that further distinguishes the college among other top-tier liberal-arts institutions, while also helping exceptional students from the couple’s home state realize their dreams.

The Reynolds Leadership Scholar Program provides $40,000 per year toward tuition, including off-campus study in 51ºÚÁÏÍø or partner programs, to high-achieving student-leaders who live and/or study in Maryland and wish to take advantage of a 51ºÚÁÏÍø liberal-arts education. It includes access to exclusive leadership training with successful Old Line State professionals across a wide spectrum of fields. A  is required to be considered for the program, including a 300-word personal reflection on leadership. 

Because the scholarship is offered to several students each year, Reynolds Scholars attend 51ºÚÁÏÍø together as a cohort. Their network will grow as they take part in leadership training with Reynolds and attend annual dinners, hosted by the couple, with college leaders and Maryland-based alumni.

“It’s about paying it forward, because I know that the actual cost of delivering 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s world-class education is more than the sticker price—and that I was only able to attend 51ºÚÁÏÍø because of people who came before me. We also hope it inspires more families to consider 51ºÚÁÏÍø, because we feel students who are a good fit should have an opportunity to take advantage of 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s world-class education, regardless of their families’ financial situation.”

—Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77

Transformative Lessons

The cohort-based scholarship is informed by Reynolds' formative experiences as a 51ºÚÁÏÍøian and community leader.

She was an English major and at 51ºÚÁÏÍø. While rigorous coursework sharpened her communication skills and studying abroad broadened her world, she learned to be a leader through a student-galvanized tutoring program, through which she taught English to French-speaking Vietnamese refugees. As a young grad, she built on those skills through a community-leadership program that connected her with Baltimore-area movers and shakers from a variety of fields, and from all walks of life.

“That experience taught me the value of understanding how people from different walks of life approach community problems,” says Reynolds. “And that lesson, and the connections I made at 51ºÚÁÏÍø and through this program, were transformative.”

A chartered financial analyst, Reynolds went on to become vice chair and chief investment officer at Legg Mason Trust and now serves as partner and director of Ward Properties, a commercial real-estate firm. She’s twice been named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women (The Daily Record) and is a past recipient of the Girl Scouts of Greater Maryland’s Distinguished Women’s Award. Her husband, George, also a prominent Maryland professional, has practiced law for four decades, with a focus on tax law, estate planning and administration, trusts and elder care. He currently practices with the Miles & Stockbridge firm.

Giving Back, Giving Forward

Both give back to their community, serving on impactful boards in the Baltimore region. They also have made indelible marks at 51ºÚÁÏÍø. She served as chair of 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2017, and the couple has hosted many alumni and prospective-student events at their home over the years to help bring generations of Maryland 51ºÚÁÏÍøians together.

The Reynolds Leadership Scholar Program builds on these already well-established and strong ties in the Maryland-alumni community, to the benefit of student-leaders and alumni alike. And by bringing promising students to campus and setting them up for success, it helps give 51ºÚÁÏÍø an edge in recruiting the best and brightest.

“It’s about paying it forward, because I know that the actual cost of delivering 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s world-class education is more than the sticker price—and that I was only able to attend 51ºÚÁÏÍø because of people who came before me,” says Reynolds. “We also hope it inspires more families to consider 51ºÚÁÏÍø, because we feel students who are a good fit should have an opportunity to take advantage of 51ºÚÁÏÍø’s world-class education, regardless of their families’ financial situation.”

Learn more about the Reynolds Leadership Scholarship Program

TAKE THE NEXT STEPS

Published January 6, 2022