Commitment will inspire alumni to help create six new $25,000 scholarships supporting Drew University students
May 2026 – When Vanessa Allen Sutherland arrived at Drew University as a student in the late 1980s, the campus immediately felt like a place where she could grow.
The idyllic setting, welcoming community, and presence of Drew Theological School reminded her of the Episcopal preparatory school she had attended. What stood out most, however, was Drew’s emphasis on preparing students to think critically and engage thoughtfully with the world.
“Drew was not perfect,” she recalls. “But it seemed perfect for me.”
Today, more than three decades later, Sutherland is helping ensure that future students have the same opportunity to experience a Drew education.
Through a generous $150,000 commitment, she has established the Vanessa Allen Sutherland C’92 Scholarship Challenge, an initiative designed to inspire fellow alumni to help create six new $25,000 current-use scholarships supporting Drew students.
Her goal is simple. She hopes alumni will come together to expand access to the transformative opportunities a Drew education provides.
Discovering New Paths Through the Liberal Arts
Sutherland arrived at Drew planning to study physics and pursue her fascination with space. The liberal arts environment soon opened new intellectual doors.
Through Drew’s core curriculum and campus experiences, from the Korn Gallery to the campus radio station, she discovered a passion for both art history and political science.
Courses such as Professor Doug Simon’s United Nations class and a semester studying in London reinforced the power of interdisciplinary learning and the importance of thoughtful teaching.
“The liberal arts education at Drew built confidence,” she says. “Drew taught us how to learn, how to analyze, and most importantly, how to collaborate and seek knowledge in untraditional sources.”
Those skills proved invaluable throughout her career. Sutherland went on to become a corporate lawyer working with global companies. She later earned both a law degree and an MBA focused on information technology.
Looking back, she credits Drew with instilling the mindset that made that path possible.
“Learning how to learn is by far the greatest tool in facing opportunities and challenges,” she says.
The Power of a Close-Knit Academic Community
Sutherland was only 16 years old when she arrived at Drew. In that environment, the University’s small size and close-knit academic community proved especially meaningful.
Faculty members encouraged her to share her voice more confidently in class and pushed her to pursue opportunities she had not initially imagined.
Professors also set high expectations. In one memorable assignment, she was asked to write a graduate-level paper exploring the intersection of esoteric Buddhism and the Zen pagoda.
“They set a high bar and held us accountable,” she says.
Those experiences helped shape her intellectual confidence and her willingness to take risks.
Sutherland also credits Drew with encouraging openness to new ideas and emerging technologies. The University’s early embrace of laptops and computing helped prepare students for a world that was rapidly changing.
“We were taught to embrace the novel and the unknown rather than fear it,” she says.
Why Scholarships Matter
Sutherland’s commitment to scholarship support is rooted in the diverse perspectives she encountered as a Drew student.
While many of her classmates were from the East Coast, she formed friendships with students from across the country and around the world. Those conversations enriched classroom discussions and expanded her understanding of different viewpoints.
She also saw how financial pressures could affect students’ experiences.
“Students from different socioeconomic backgrounds often excel academically but carry the stress of financial burdens,” she says.
Scholarship support, she believes, allows students to focus more fully on their education and take advantage of opportunities that might otherwise feel out of reach.
“Scholarships can set a student on a pathway to internships and opportunities that become the differentiator in their careers,” she says.
Inspiring Alumni to Pay It Forward
The idea for the scholarship challenge grew from conversations with fellow members of the Class of 1992.
As they reflected on their own college experiences and watched their children explore universities, they began discussing the role alumni play in sustaining the institutions that shaped them.
At many universities, alumni contributions help fund scholarships, build facilities, and support new academic opportunities. Sutherland hopes this challenge will encourage Drew alumni to reconnect with the University and remember the impact it had on their lives.
“This match opportunity is a hope,” she says. “A hope that alumni will pause from life’s pace and remember what Drew meant to them.”
Looking Toward the Future
When Sutherland thinks about the students arriving at Drew today, she hopes they will take full advantage of the opportunities around them.
From internships and global learning experiences to cutting-edge academic programs, she believes Drew students should feel empowered to explore boldly and pursue their ambitions.
One day, she hopes those students will feel inspired to give back as well.
“I want them to look back fondly on their experience and want to propel Drew forward,” she says.
Through the Vanessa Allen Sutherland C’92 Scholarship Challenge, that future is already beginning to take shape.
