TOPEKA — Washburn Women’s Venture Partners (WWVP), a women’s philanthropy organization, will award nearly $30,000 in grants to eight projects on the Washburn University campus at its annual spring awards ceremony and reception at 12:30 p.m. Friday, May 3, in Carole Chapel on the Washburn campus.

“WWVP provides a unique opportunity for women to join together and provide financial support for campus initiatives that fall outside the regular university budget,” said Cynthia Heath, a Washburn graduate and chair of WWVP. “Our mission is to secure ongoing funding that will allow the University to respond to new opportunities as they arise and to help enrich the education of Washburn students.”

WWVP was established in 2008 by a group of Washburn alumnae to create opportunities for women to invest in Washburn University and to identify women leaders. Now in its fifth year, it has grown from six members to 13. Members invest their time and financial support to promote the development of Washburn University and provide funding for campus priorities.

Over the past five years, the group has awarded 39 grants totaling nearly $115,000 to Washburn University and Washburn Institute of Technology.

This year’s award recipients and projects are:

• Art Department — 3-D printer for use by the art, sciences and pre-engineering departments
• Chemistry Department — 11 new pipettes for Chemistry and Forensic Chemical Science
• International Program — Funding of Bods on Bikes for helmets, locks and supplies
• Music Department — Upgraded intercom system for stage/technical crew communication
• Theatre Department — Partial underwriting of “Little Women, the Musical” in connection with the university’s sesquicentennial
• Washburn Institute of Technology — New video camera and Adobe software for the Graphics Technology Program
• Washburn Institute of Technology — Surgical light for the Surgical Technology Program
• Washburn Lecture Series