December 8, 2003

Engelhorn Family Endows Scholarship Fund For
Community College Students Transferring Into UCSD

By Lindsay Orth

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) today announced a $1 million gift to endow the Engelhorn Family Scholarship Fund to support community college students who transfer into UCSD.

Susan and Sheldon Engelhorn with scholarship recipients.

Sheldon and Susan Engelhorn established the Engelhorn Family Scholarship fund in February 2002 with a $249,600 gift. Their recent gift will augment this scholarship fund for future generations of UCSD transfer students. This is the largest scholarship fund designated for transfer students in university history.

"UCSD is enormously grateful for the continued generosity of the Engelhorn family,” said Marsha A. Chandler, acting chancellor. “The creation of this unique scholarship fund for transfer students illustrates a true understanding of the range of scholarships needed to support a growing and diverse student population at UCSD.”

Through this endowment, 15-20 students per year will each receive a $2,000 award. Seventy-five students have already been the benefactors of the scholarship through the couple’s first gift.

"This family is giving me the opportunity to continue my education,” said senior Patrick Brown, a Gulf War veteran, single father and current recipient of an Engelhorn Scholarship. “The Engelhorns’ faith in me has empowered me to achieve my goals and has given me a new goal of one day giving back to the community as they have.”

"This scholarship has provided me with the opportunity to completely support myself,” said senior Rachel Smith, also a current recipient of an Engelhorn Scholarship. “This past year my twin brothers started college and both of my parents lost their jobs. It gives me a great sense of pride that I am not a financial burden to my family at this difficult time.”

"We chose to direct this scholarship toward transfer students from community colleges because there were almost no existing scholarship opportunities offered to this demographic of UCSD students. We also believe community college transfer students bring unique and valuable perspectives to UCSD, enriching the campus experience for all students. This diversity of perspectives can help foster the kind of creative thinking we are going to need as a society,” said Sheldon Engelhorn. “It gives my wife and me great pride to help make it possible for these students to benefit from a UCSD education.”

The scholarships will be awarded to transfer students with financial need who enroll under the UCSD sponsored programs UniversityLink or Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG). These programs provide guaranteed admission to students who sign a contract agreeing to successfully complete academic requirements at a participating community college in Southern California. The UniversityLink program requires the contract to be signed by the student while they are still in high school and TAG students sign their contract once they enter community college. The students in both programs, who must maintain a 2.8 grade point average while attending community college, receive ongoing academic counseling and guidance from community college and UCSD staff.

Sheldon Engelhorn received a B.A. in Biological Sciences from UCSD in 1972 and is currently a semi-retired investor after completing a successful career as a biochemist and businessman. He is highly involved in the UCSD community as a UC San Diego Foundation trustee, chair of the UCSD Undergraduate Scholarship Council, an Alumni Founder (a giving society for alumni who have made gifts to the university totaling $1 million or more) and a Campaign Cabinet member. Engelhorn is also involved with Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The couple has four children and their son, Garth, graduated from UCSD in 2003.

The Engelhorn gift contributes to the $1 billion fund-raising goal of The Campaign for UCSD: Imagine What’s Next. Campaign priorities include supporting students and faculty through scholarships, fellowships and endowed chairs; creating and expanding academic programs; funding research endeavors and health sciences advancements; and providing innovation funds and unrestricted support. The campaign total is $522 million as of December 1, 2003. The campaign is scheduled to conclude in June 2007.

Media Contacts:
Lindsay Orth, (858) 534-3624
Karen Gajewski, (858) 822-3353