Cal State Fullerton, in partnership with the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF), created the CSUF Black Student Scholarship Fund supporting self-identified Black or African American students at the university. In its inaugural year, the CSUF Black Student Scholarship Fund awarded a total of $24,000 to 16 CSUF students, which includes three incoming freshmen and 13 returning Titans.
President Fram Virjee commented, “CSUF is proud to partner with the OCCF on the CSUF Black Student Scholarship Fund and we thank the many investors who contributed to this important fund. These inaugural scholarships recognize the promise, potential and excellence of our Black Titans and will advance educational success and upward mobility of talented incoming and current students. Coupled with our award-winning, evidence-based programs and support services, these scholarships will help Black Titans to flourish and thrive at CSUF.”
“Not only is it amazing to see a scholarship like this for Black students at CSUF, but I am also grateful to say that I am an inaugural recipient of such an award. I am very appreciative of all of the support Black students like myself receive from the BSU (Black Student Union), AARC (African American Resource Center), and Black staff and faculty. Without them, opportunities like this would be hard to come by. Thank you to everyone who had a role in bringing this scholarship to CSUF. I plan to further express my gratitude by continuing to excel wherever I can and representing our university well,” said Cal State Fullerton student Jeremiah Riggins.
“We are excited to see this program begin with such a robust group of students,” said Tammy Tumbling, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Orange County Community Foundation.
“Supporting students as they excel in their education, particularly people of color and those facing financial barriers, advances our commitment to social justice and equity, and will have a lasting impact in our community and beyond,” added Virjee.
CSUF believes that welcoming, supporting and recognizing prospective and current Black students is paramount. As CSUF prioritizes the recruitment and retention of a more diverse student body, it believes one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal is to offer scholarships to specific student groups. This fund provides scholarship awards to deserving students based on objective criteria thanks to the partnership of OCCF and support from a diverse array of donors, funders and the broader community. CSUF is honored to support its diverse student body with scholarships of $1,500 each.
The CSUF Black Student Scholarship Fund was created with a $25,000 lead gift and has grown significantly with contributions from donors committed to supporting Black students through their education at CSUF. If you are interested in supporting the CSUF Black Student Scholarship Fund online please click here.
About Orange County Community Foundation : Founded in 1989, the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) works with donors, strengthens the local nonprofit sector, and works to find solutions to community needs. Since its inception, OCCF has awarded more than $870 million in grants and scholarships, ranking the organization as the third most active grantmaker among all U.S. community foundations. For more information, visit oc-cf.org or call 949-553-4202. View OCCF’s 2021 annual report here.