Celebrating Five Years of Impact! And We’re Just Getting Started!

Dear Friends, Partners and Supporters of World at Hand,

Today, I’m thrilled to share that World at Hand is celebrating its 5th anniversary as a 501(c)(3)! What began as a dream of creating a single study abroad scholarship in 2014 has grown into an award-winning, nationally recognized nonprofit that is changing the narrative in international education.

In just five years, together we have:

Introduced 400+ Denver-area students to the idea of study abroad — breaking down the barrier of “I didn’t know this was possible.”

• Supported 45 students through our flagship Global Access Passport (GAP) Program — providing passports, building travel and cultural knowledge, and helping students shift their mindset from “I can’t study abroad” to “I can.”

• Awarded 10 scholarships in just three years — with 8 this year alone, reflecting both demand and growth.

• Launched our Beyond Borders: Next Steps pilot, helping students reflect, grow, and translate their global journeys into lasting professional and academic impact.

We’ve also been honored to receive the IIE Empower Award for DEIA programming, be named a finalist for the GoAbroad Innovation Award, and begin expansion into rural Colorado and community colleges across the state.

And today, I’m excited to share our next big step forward.

To celebrate our 5th anniversary, World at Hand is depositing $5,000 into a new Agency Advised Fund with The Denver Foundation. Our goal is to grow this fund to $25,000, at which point it will become endowed — guaranteeing that scholarships and program support for Colorado students will continue for generations to come.

In October, we’ll launch our “I Got 5 On It” campaign — a grassroots effort to match and grow our $5,000 Denver Foundation Fund Deposit by rallying 500 donors giving $5+ each. Together, we’ll ensure that this work doesn’t just thrive today, but lasts well into the future.

Until then, I invite you to celebrate this milestone with us:

• Share this news with a friend.

• Follow us on social media if you haven’t already.

• Read inspiring student stories and see the impact your support has made.

• And stay tuned for the official campaign launch on October 1st.

Thank you for believing in me, for supporting World at Hand, and for helping transform a dream into a legacy. I couldn’t have done this without you — and I’m forever grateful.

With gratitude,
Shawn Wall
Founder& Executive Director
World at Hand