BOONE, N.C. — Louis DeJoy, North Carolina business leader and former U.S. Postmaster General, his wife, former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia Dr. Aldona Woś, and The Fund for American Studies (TFAS), have announced the recipients of the 2026 DeJoy-Woś Scholarships.
Nine students representing North Carolina and Estonia have been selected as DeJoy-Woś Scholars — including two from Appalachian State University:
Ethan Blanchard, a junior criminal justice major from Sanford interning with Citizens Against Government Waste
Simona Capatina, a senior political science major from Candler interning with the U.S. Department of Education
The DeJoy-Woś Family Foundation, of Greensboro, has generously supported this scholarship program for two decades. The 2026 Scholars will receive full scholarships to participate in the TFAS Academic Internship Program in Washington, D.C., where they will intern with leading organizations and complete courses through George Mason University.
“I'm just so grateful to have the opportunity to be able to come and participate in the TFAS program,” said Blanchard. “It's a major blessing because if I didn't receive this scholarship, I wouldn't have been able to attend. I'm so passionate about politics, so I couldn't be more grateful to be entering this career field.”
DeJoy served as the 75th U.S. Postmaster General from 2020–25 and currently serves as President of LDJ Global Strategies. Previously, he was Chairman and CEO of New Breed Logistics and CEO of XPO’s Supply Chain business in the Americas. Woś currently serves as President Emerita and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of World Politics and as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She served as U.S. Ambassador to Estonia from 2004–06.
To be eligible for the DeJoy-Woś Scholarship, students must attend college in North Carolina or be residents of the state. One scholarship is reserved annually for a student from Estonia.
Read more about the 2026 DeJoy-Woś Scholars
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About the DeJoy-Woś Family Foundation
The Louis DeJoy and Aldona Woś Family Foundation was created in 2005 to support and invest in organizations that provide opportunities for individuals to advance their education, explore career options, broaden their horizons, forge lasting relationships, and become engaged contributors to their communities and society. Learn more about the DeJoy-Woś Family Foundation
About The Fund for American Studies
The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is an educational nonprofit that hosts academic internship programs for undergraduate and law students in Washington, D.C., international academic programs in Europe and South America, programs for high school students and teachers, and fellowships for journalists and public policy professionals. Learn more about TFAS
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more about App State
Ethan Blanchard (left) and Simona Capatina (right). Photos submitted.
Ethan Blanchard (left) and Simona Capatina (right). Photos submitted.