Contributed by Zina Mirsky, retired Associate Dean
Have you ever had a satisfying moment when you saw the results of a charitable contribution you made? Perhaps seeing photos of smiling children who have received gifts from an anonymous friend, or examining blueprints of new shelters, which were constructed after a natural disaster in a far-off land? If so, you’ll know the warm feeling of pleasure I experienced when I attended the Dean’s Reception for Scholarship Donors earlier in October.
Annually, the Dean hosts a reception to introduce graduate students to donors of their scholarships. A genial evening of mixing and mingling, and eating and toasting, it’s an opportunity for students to say “thank you” to donors, and for donors to see the fruits of their contributions.
Many of you contribute to Alumni Association scholarships, or the Dean’s Annual Giving Fund, and those of you who attended with me enjoyed meeting the students and hearing the stories of how they came to be here at UCSF. I know I did. From the FNP student who wanted to picture herself making a difference in care of underrepresented minorities with diabetes, to the PhD student who saw a future in making “Big Data” accessible for revolutionizing nursing care at the bedside, all students who spoke were inspiring.
We are proud to have named scholarships for these students—generous benefactors who have endowed scholarships for specific purposes. We are also proud that our doctoral students are able to have full tuition support for at least three years of their studies, thanks in large part to generous donors. The students who receive named scholarships have full support; many others receive funding for part of their needs over the course of their studies. Now that I have seen what my gifts are achieving, I’ll be sure to continue being a strong contributor to the Dean’s Fund! I hope you will join me!
