David Samuels, Global MBA ’85, embodies the transformative power of education—and the responsibility that he believes comes with success. While navigating complex global markets in a career that spans corporate finance, international corporate development, and technology, Samuels has remained mindful of the financial struggles he once faced as a student.
To pay for his undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut, Samuels balanced part-time employment during the academic year with intensive summer work. He also put himself through graduate school at GW. These early experiences form the cornerstone of a philanthropic philosophy that has guided Samuel ever since.
They were the experiences that inspired Samuels, the chief financial officer at national health care technology company DrFirst, Inc., to create a need-based scholarship targeting GW business students. He said the Samuels Family Scholarship is designed to bring forward a new generation of talented business leaders who embrace philanthropy and volunteerism as core professional values.
“When I look at today’s students, I see the same hunger and potential that drove me through school,” Samuels said. “The difference is that now I have the ability to help remove some of the [financial] obstacles I once faced. That’s not just an opportunity—it’s an obligation.”
Samuels said he chose to support the School of Business because it combines academic excellence with a commitment to community engagement. He hopes the scholarship will change lives while also strengthening the pipeline of ethical, community-minded business leaders.
Samuels said his decision to pursue an MBA at GW reshaped his career trajectory. His undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut degree had opened doors, landing him a position at KPMG, but his career ambitions required additional credentials.
“GW had a quality reputation for its MBA program. In fact, it was the only quality MBA program in Washington, D.C., at the time,” he said. “What really attracted me was GW’s international business strength. I could see that global markets were becoming increasingly important, and I wanted to be prepared for that reality.
“I think my GW degree was a differentiator that opened doors in my early career, and the MBA certainly rounded me out professionally,” he said.
After earning a Global MBA, he began a decade-long tenure with Marriott Corporation and two of its spin-off businesses. Those assignments enabled him to sharpen his finance, operations, and corporate development skills. Following the sale of Host Marriott Services Corporation in 2000, Samuels moved over to technology growth companies. He has served as chief financial officer for six organizations.
“What appealed to me about these companies was that each was involved in a truly disruptive technology,” he explained. “I’ve always been drawn to organizations that are changing the game, not just playing it.”
Growing up in Connecticut, Samuels said philanthropy was woven into his DNA.
“My parents were really big on community service. They instilled those values in me from an early age,” he recalled. Their example turned into a springboard for decades of leadership service on nonprofit boards, including Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, Charles E. Smith Life Communities, and the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Virginia—organizations that support financial literacy, eldercare services, the arts and arts education, and other causes important to Samuels.
At GW, his commitment extends beyond the scholarship. He also serves on the School of Business Board of Advisors.
“I admire the school and what it’s accomplished, and I’m really excited about the new dean,” he said. “I want to see the School of Business achieve even greater prominence. It has exceptional programs and tremendous assets.”
Samuels said he directed his support of the School of Business because it combines academic excellence with a commitment to community engagement. He encourages others to continue the school’s forward momentum by exploring ways to get involved at GW.