Their latest gift to create the Kanstoroom Family Bicentennial Scholarship reflects a longstanding family commitment to the spirit of volunteerism. The scholarship will be awarded to students who commit to a certain level of involvement at Madison House, the volunteer center at the University of Virginia. “We wanted students with financial need to have the opportunity to choose volunteerism as part of their student experience,” said Pam. “It’s important to us a family.”

“We had a wonderful experience at UVA,” David said. “We were both in the old dorms, we met first year, and dated all the way through. I was recruited to play on the tennis team. I played for four years and eventually became team captain my final year. Tennis was a big part of my experience.” (He won the ACC doubles (#2) title in 1990.) David is a founding member of KVS Title, a real estate settlement firm based in the Washington, D.C., area. The Kanstorooms began thinking about creating a scholarship centered on service before the pandemic. “I had done some volunteer work at Madison House when I was in college,” Pam said. “It’s such a wonderful organization, with thousands of students involved in it. We couldn’t have thought of a better way to honor those who are giving their time.”

Pam and David Kanstoroom outside of Madison House.

Now that the pandemic has reordered much of our lives, the scholarship has taken on added significance. The scholarship is open to students in their second year and above. Applicants must complete 75 volunteer hours in a calendar year at Madison House before they can apply. In addition to committing to those volunteer hours and maintaining a 3.0 GPA, a recipient must also demonstrate financial need, a situation confronting an increasing number of families due to layoffs and a shrinking job market. The Kanstorooms noted that at least 70 students have applied for the scholarship.

“If you think about all the real pain and suffering that’s going on right now in the world, both health-wise and from an economic standpoint, it’s important for alumni or members of the community to dig deep,” said Pam. “We’re one big family, and so many people need help right now. We need to help UVA and its students however we can.” The scholarship is structured so that, depending on the demand, it can be awarded to a single student or divided up for greater impact.

“We know from working with our students and talking to our alumni that being a Madison House volunteer is a transformational experience," said Executive Director Tim Freilich. "But volunteering through Madison House is a big commitment. Volunteers spend 1-3 hours per week working with their community partners. Our student program directors regularly dedicate more than 10 hours per week. Not all prospective leaders have the financial resources to just give their time away. The Kanstoroom Family Bicentennial Scholarship will help this cohort of students access the transformational experiences offered through Madison House. I'm truly grateful to Pam and David for recognizing this need, and for their commitment to developing community-minded student leaders at the University.”

Building community partnerships, promoting lifelong commitments to volunteerism, and developing students into responsible, conscientious leaders in service are critical parts of UVA's strategic plan. The Kanstorooms noted that other alumni who feel a desire to help can also contribute to the scholarship. “We feel fortunate that we can help at this time,” said David. “We really feel like we found something meaningful to us as well as to the University. I would urge other alumni to see what’s available.”

For more information about the Kanstoroom Family Scholarship, contact Susan Holman McShane, associate director of development, 434-305-0748, sah6sh@virginia.edu.