The Bernard Osher Foundation awarded Fresno State with $500,000 to establish a scholarship endowment benefiting students transferring to Fresno State from a California community college.
“These scholarships will provide much-needed assistance to students who have demonstrated their commitment to higher education,” said Paul Oliaro, Fresno State vice president of student affairs. “We are deeply grateful to the Osher Foundation for their support of our students as they pursue their dream of a college education.”
Each year in perpetuity the endowment is expected to fund 10, $2,500 scholarships. The first will be available for the 2013-14 academic year to junior and senior Fresno State transfer students who have demonstrated a financial need and shown academic promise in high school and community college.
Starting this year, annual tuition and fees for full-time students total $6,773.
“The foundation recognized the financial challenges many students take on when they transition from a community college to a California State University”, said Andy Lynch, Osher Foundation program officer. “These scholarships are intended to offset some of that expense and allow students to be more focused on their studies.”
Headquartered in San Francisco, the Osher Foundation provides post-secondary scholarship funding to universities across the nation, with special attention on reentry students. Founded in 1977 by businessman Bernard Osher, the foundation seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts.
The gift from the Osher Foundation enhances the university’s Campaign for Fresno State, an initiative to raise $200 million in support of scholarships, faculty, programs and facilities. Through July 2012, the campaign had raised more than $191.4 million. It is the university’s inaugural comprehensive campaign and among the largest in the CSU system.
For more information, contact Kathleen Schock, the campaign communications director, at 559.278.2756 or kschock@csufresno.edu.
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