Osher Foundation Donates $500,000 to Scholarships for UC San Diego Transfer Students

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The Bernard Osher Foundation has donated $500,000 to the University of California, San Diego, establishing an endowment to provide scholarships for students transferring from the California Community Colleges System. These funds will support a new scholarship award for high-achieving student parents who transfer to UC San Diego and have financial need.

“We are so grateful for this generous gift that will help support parents who are transfer students,” said Penny Rue, vice chancellor of Student Affairs. “We are delighted to be able to offer scholarship funds to those who face unique challenges in pursuing a college education.”

According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 27 percent of community college students have children. The Osher Foundation’s gift—which will remain in perpetuity as an endowment—will generate approximately $25,000 each year to help transfer students who are tasked with balancing their education with supporting children and families.

“The Osher Foundation is delighted to make this gift to assist transfer students at UC San Diego as they work to complete their degrees,” said Mary Bitterman, Osher Foundation president. “Today, students face many obstacles in continuing their education. The Osher Foundation is dedicated to providing scholarship support to help motivated students realize their dreams.”

Charity Stone is a mother of two who transferred to UC San Diego from a community college. Scholarships have helped alleviate many of the pressures associated with balancing her fulltime student status with her family. "Scholarship support is a gift of relief for strains others cannot necessarily see in the life of a student parent,” said Stone.

The scholarship endowment also adds to UC San Diego’s efforts to provide a family-friendly environment for students who have children. “The university has created new programs for student parents and their families, including a priority enrollment pilot project, family swim times at both recreational pools and the opening of a family study room at Geisel Library,” said Ann Klein, director of UC San Diego’s Financial Aid Office. “This scholarship will provide additional support that is critically needed by many.”

The Bernard Osher Foundation provides post-secondary scholarship funding to universities across the nation with special attention to reentry students. In addition, the foundation supports a national education network for seasoned adults. The Osher Foundation established the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UC San Diego, which is an educational and cultural organization for retirees, directed by its members. The program is one of more than 100 of its kind across the United States.  For more information on the Bernard Osher Foundation, please visit www.osherfoundation.org.

To learn more about supporting scholarships at UC San Diego, please visit studentsupport.ucsd.edu.