The Drew Waverly Patterson Fund was established in 2009 through the financial support of faculty, alumni, and friends of the Women & Politics Institute (WPI). The fund provides an award to directly support the cost of graduate and/or law school application fees for American University students. Eligible students must have completed an academic course(s) at American University related to women and politics.

Drew Patterson was the daughter of Women & Politics Institute graduate, Linda Mancillas and the sister of Washington College of Law graduate Jenna Patterson. Drew was an exceptional young woman who died of a brain tumor in 2003. Although Drew's illness presented many struggles and challenges, she lived her life to the fullest and was an inspiration to everyone. Drew was actively involved in her school, church youth group and her community.

The Drew Waverly Patterson Fund is established to honor Drew's determination to succeed, her desire to help others and her optimistic fortitude to find joy in life. The family and friends that established the Patterson Fund hope that the WPI students who receive these funds will be civic minded and virtuous as Drew was and work for the common good of all people.

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The Women & Politics Institute is pleased to announce Malak Hassouna as the 2022-2023 recipient of the Drew Waverly Patterson Scholarship which honors students who are civic-minded and work for the good of all people. Malak is a junior, double majoring in Legal Studies and Women and Gender Studies. 

During her time at AU, she has shown a commitment to WPI’s mission of closing the gender gap in political leadership through her extracurricular activities and coursework. She hopes to continue her education and investigate how women are affected by the laws and politics of everyday society.

The Women & Politics Institute is pleased to announce Karson Taylor as the 2021-2022 recipient of the Drew Waverly Patterson Scholarship which honors students who are civic-minded and work for the good of all people. Karson is a junior in the School of Public Affairs, majoring in Communications, Law, Economics, & Government and minoring in Psychology and Theater. She is a Women, Policy & Political Leadership certificate student and President of the Pre-Law Society.

During her time at AU, she has shown a commitment to WPI’s mission of closing the gender gap in political leadership through her extracurricular activities and coursework. Karson hopes to become a civic-minded lawyer and bring positive change to help those in need.

The Women & Politics Institute is pleased to announce Naeemah Islam as the 2019-2020 recipient of the Drew Waverly Patterson Scholarship which honors students who are civic-minded and work for the good of all people.  Naeemah is a senior in the School of Public Affairs, majoring in Political Science (Law and Politics) and minoring in International Relations, and is a member of the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta. She will be the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year university.

During her time at AU, she has shown a commitment to WPI’s mission of closing the gender gap in political leadership through her extracurricular activities and coursework.  Naeemah hopes to become a civic-minded lawyer and bring positive change to help those in need.