W&J College Alumnus Jeffrey Germak ’14 Builds a Network in D.C.

Jeffrey Germak ’14 is creating a different kind of community in Washington, D.C.— one that’s distinctly Presidential. Germak works for a nonprofit that connects businesses leaders in the D.C. metro area and supports educational efforts for local students. Germak has risen within the organization and now oversees some of these efforts, including one that resembles the Magellan Project here at W&J. He used the same template laid out by W&J College to provide learning opportunities for high school students in the D.C. metro area.

“We realized we had this additional funding from the scholarship program, and we were trying to figure out how to support students in different ways. I was fortunate to participate in the Magellan Project,” he said. “I wanted to offer that same opportunity to students here. I’m proud to see that program take off.”

Germak is now a senior manager of executive office and corporate engagement of The Economic Club of Washington D.C. He’s also a founding member of W&J’s Washington, D.C. Regional Alumni Club and is the chapter’s membership coordinator. It’s a far cry from the shy freshman who came to W&J in the fall of 2010, a year younger than his classmates after graduating early from high school.

“I could go on and on about connections I made with staff and my peers through student activities and groups. Just the constant support I had through them gave me a family there even though my family was four hours away. With them, I could work through anything and overcome any challenge.”