New Scholarships

From time to time we like to point to philanthropic contributions to the university that do not involve brick and mortar construction, but rather focus on research and students. A recent contribution goes to students. From the Bruin:

UCLA’s new Affordability Initiative will award four-year scholarships to up to 35 California resident students each year starting in 2024. The $20,000 scholarships, funded by a $15 million donation from UCLA alumnus Peter Merlone, will be distributed to recipients over the course of four years... Around 700 students from California will be eligible to apply for the scholarships produced by this donation.

UCLA spokesperson Barbra Ramos said in an emailed statement that the initiative was created to further the UC and the state of California’s commitment to providing debt-free education for undergraduate students without the need for loans or additional grants. She added that the lack of affordability for a college degree motivated the university to pursue additional funding from outside sources.

“UCLA recognizes that volatility in the U.S. and global economies, the high cost of living in Los Angeles, ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other factors are creating a college affordability challenge for students and their families,” Ramos said in the statement.

In the statement, she also said the initiative is focused on addressing costs beyond tuition, such as housing, health insurance and transportation. She added that the initiative was created because the university is aware of the educational boundaries that tuition, in addition to economic unease, create for undergraduate students...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2023/05/30/ucla-affordability-initiative-to-provide-20000-scholarships-starting-in-2024.