The 2020 Internship Match
A generous $5 million gift helped propel support for internships.
Announced at the public launch of the Every Carl for Carleton campaign in October 2018, the 2020 Internship Match helped propel the college toward its goal of increasing funds for student internships and better preparing students for life and careers.
With a gift of $5 million from Bill Buffett ’55 and Susan Kennedy and Barbara Weitz ’70 and Wally Weitz ’70 and their family, the 2020 Internship Match doubled all outright gifts of $50,000 to $1 million that established or added to an existing endowed internship fund. Highly popular with the Carleton community, all funds had been claimed by May 2020.
Over the past decade, internships have become essential to a well-rounded college experience, especially as students stretch to consider different career paths and avocational pursuits. In the past, these opportunities might have seemed out of reach for some students, largely because many internships provide little in the way of compensation. As hands-on experience has become increasingly essential to prospective employers, a number of generous Carls have stepped up with support.
A prime example: The 2020 Internship Match pushed global commodities trader Anthony Tancredi ’85 to establish the Abeona Endowed Fund for International Internships, named for a goddess of ancient Rome who was thought to watch over a child’s first steps. “The world is becoming more global now, but most people’s idea of ‘global’ is the world they see on their phones,” he said.
While Tancredi was at Carleton, he participated in study-abroad programs in both Mexico and Spain. Those experiences taught him that a person’s perspective—especially in regard to other people, places, and ideas—is incomplete without first-hand experience.
The 2020 Internship Match not only helped Tancredi focus his philanthropic efforts, it guaranteed that his financial gifts could be stretched to have the greatest impact. “By doubling my gift, I really felt like I could do something meaningful,” he said.