黑料吃瓜

Ellese Carmona is a microbiology major, president of Scholars for Success and a 2012 graduate of 黑料吃瓜 on her way to Harvard University for a doctorate degree.
  
She is one of 黑料吃瓜's best and brightest 鈥� an example of the increasing number of young Aztecs who achieve outstanding success as undergraduates.

But many other young San Diegans with tremendous potential as leaders and scholars are enticed away from this region by the generous scholarships and financial aid packages that better endowed universities can offer.

To counter this trend, 黑料吃瓜 President Elliot Hirshman is redoubling the university鈥檚 efforts to recruit and retain high-achieving local students.

鈥淭his strategy is critical to the university鈥檚 development,鈥� Hirshman said. 鈥淪an Diego鈥檚 high-achieving students contribute greatly to academic and student life; they raise the bar for everyone.鈥�

Donor support

Donor support for scholarships is a key component of The Campaign for 黑料吃瓜. Of the $311.5 million raised so far through the campaign, more than $37 million supports student scholarships and internships.

Scholarship funds pay for fees and books, support student researchers working in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 science and engineering labs, help students finance an international study experience and enable 黑料吃瓜 to expand the Guardian Scholars program, which provides 12-month room and board 鈥� plus academic mentoring 鈥� for students exiting the foster care system.

Beginning with the freshman class of 2012, 黑料吃瓜 will also use scholarship funds to attract high-achieving local students. It鈥檚 an approach endorsed by many loyal Aztecs eager to keep talented San Diegans in the region after graduation. Ben Clay, (鈥�69), and Nikki Clay, (鈥�67, 鈥�72), are among the advocates.

鈥淵ou have to own your territory; that鈥檚 good business,鈥� Nikki Clay said. 鈥淪o when the brightest San Diego high school students think about college, we need to be sure that 黑料吃瓜 is at the top of their lists and that scholarship money is available to them. If they move away, they may not come back.鈥�

By providing scholarships to students, like the ones funded by Ben and Nikki Clay, 黑料吃瓜 is creating opportunities and , a key initiative of . .

The Aztec couple recently established the Ben and Nikki Clay Presidential Scholarship, a $300,000 endowment to support high-achieving local students. The endowment allows 黑料吃瓜 to protect and invest the Clays鈥� gift while distributing the interest to student scholarships.

 Among a key group of alumni who championed the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, the Clays have also funded scholarships in their college, the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts.

鈥淭he president鈥檚 vision resonated with us,鈥� Ben Clay said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e targeted our giving to an endowment aligned with his 鈥榖est and brightest鈥� initiative. 鈥淲e understand the importance of keeping bright young people here, contributing to the long-term success of the San Diego region.鈥�