The San Diego Foundation, which administers the largest non-university-based scholarship program in San Diego County, held its 10th annual Scholarships Awards Ceremony on May 17, 2008, at the University of San Diego’s Shiley Theatre for students, parents, school personnel and scholarship donors.
Over the past 10 years, The San Diego Foundation has witnessed steady growth in its scholarship funds. The Foundation offers a wide variety of scholarships, and this year alone more than 500 students received $2.5 million dollars in financial assistance.
One of the newest scholarships stands out for its heartfelt response to the tragic losses caused by the October 2007 fires that devastated San Diego County. Entertainer Gwen Stefani donated $165,000 in proceeds from her October 30, 2007 San Diego concert to The San Diego Foundation Fire Relief Fund. As a result, the Gwen Stefani After-the-Fires Scholarship fund was created for high school seniors and college students who lost their homes and/or source of income during the disaster.
"When the fires happened and we decided to donate the San Diego show proceeds to charity, it felt good to know that I could help in some way,” said Stefani, who surprised the crowd by personally presenting the scholarships to the recipients. “To be able to meet these kids and see that the scholarships are having such an impact on their future is very rewarding. It was an exciting day."
“The financial demands of recovering and rebuilding after the fires may result in families being unable to pay for their child’s education. In some cases, families have several children in college at the same time, which increases the financial burden the fires created for them,” said Todd Gutschow, chair of The San Diego Foundation’s Scholarship Selection Committee. “Ms. Stefani’s generous gift will allow these students to pursue their education as planned.”
The 16 Gwen Stefani After-the-Fires scholarship recipients come from all backgrounds with a variety of academic aspirations. Yet, they share the bond of losing everything in the October fires. Esther Hess, a senior from Rancho Bernardo High School, lost her home, as well as a substantial part of her father’s income due to the fires. The additional financial strain of three children in college at the same time was almost too much to bear. Esther feared that her dreams of attending college would have to be put on hold. Erica Wery, another fire victim, rushed to evacuate senior citizens from the elder care facility her family operated out of their home. Thankfully, everyone made it out safe, but Erica’s family lost their home and their income was affected, as well. Both of these students, along with 14 others, will be able to continue with their educational pursuits thanks to the financial assistance they receive from the Gwen Stefani After-the-Fires Scholarship.
“This is a way we really make a difference in the community,” stated Bob Kelly, president and CEO of The San Diego Foundation. “I thank Ms. Stefani for her generous gift because these scholarships not only help the students, but help San Diego for future generations. We are proud of these recipients and know that they have endured a lot to get to where they are.”
The San Diego Foundation continues to offer the scholarships for fire victims and the application deadline has been extended to June 30, 2008, to allow more students the opportunity to apply for scholarship assistance. The application form is available on The Foundation’s website at www.sdfoundation.org.
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