New Scholarship Honors Longtime McDonough Mentor

When those who knew Vijay Velamoor speak about him and his legacy, a few words are often repeated: advocate, leader, and mentor. 

After a long and successful career in the private sector, Velamoor served as an Executive in Residence and Special Advisor at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, where he led the mentorship program for Executive MBA (EMBA) students. 

Velamoor passed away in March 2024. To honor his legacy and carry forward his efforts at McDonough, Velamoor’s family created a scholarship in his name to support EMBA students who show a passion for contributing to the enrichment and advancement of the McDonough community. 

“Vijay successfully pursued his dreams and encouraged his mentees at McDonough to do the same,” the Velamoor family said. “His story was the quintessential immigrant success story and proved decisively that hard work, passion, and investing in others can lift entire teams and institutions to new heights. We are thrilled to institutionalize his deep connection to this storied program, and we hope it inspires future generations of business leaders at McDonough.”

Velamoor’s years of dedication to McDonough made an indelible impact on students like Billy Hayes (EMBA’25), who says Velamoor changed the trajectory of his life. 

Hayes had a chance encounter with Velamoor at Dulles International Airport, where the two became fast friends as they waited for a delayed flight. Velamoor had been in D.C. to meet his EMBA mentees and expressed interest in Hayes’ military experience. That initial conversation opened the door to a meaningful relationship. 

“Vijay’s first mentoring session was on the importance of character, creativity, family, and integrity – both in life, but especially in business,” Hayes said. “We met once a month for over one year. During our final session he reinforced that the most important resource is beyond our control. He said no matter how hard we try, we cannot control how much time we have, so we should not worry about it. He said we should instead focus on using our time to maximize what matters most: our family and our values. To that end, Vijay said the real goal should be to use money to buy time with our families, not using our time to buy money for them.”

Throughout his decades-long career, Velamoor relentlessly pursued excellence. He served in leadership roles for companies in telecommunications, hospitality, and financial services, and retired as the senior vice president of human resources for one of the largest consumer insurance providers in the world. 

As a mentor, Velamoor encouraged EMBA students to problem solve, develop an organizational vision when leading teams, and never compromise in their pursuit of that vision. His mentees have gone on to become leaders in business, nonprofits, and the public sector. 

Paul Almeida, Dean and William R. Berkley Chair, remembers Velamoor not only as a great supporter of Georgetown McDonough, but as a dear friend. 

“Vijay took one of my courses nearly 12 years ago and after its completion expressed genuine interest in getting more involved at McDonough,” Almeida said. “He and I explored different ways he could contribute in a meaningful way to our school and students. With help from McDonough staff, he developed – and for many years ran – the EMBA mentorship program, a testament to his visionary leadership and concern for the growth and success of our students. Vijay was a huge advocate for students, helping them with internships and other career services, and even offered human resources counsel to our leadership in an effort to make the school a better place. Everything he did to support our students and community was out of pure goodness of heart.”

The merit-based scholarship in Velamoor’s honor is the first named, endowed scholarship fund for Georgetown’s EMBA program. Applicants will undergo a holistic review, considering factors such as socioeconomic, cultural, and family background; personal experiences and challenges; and a demonstrated ability to develop and support a community representing a diverse array of perspectives and experiences.

The first gift will be awarded for the fall 2025 semester.