ARCS Foundation Scholarships
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The National ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation, Inc., is a unique, non-profit, national volunteer organization of women dedicated to providing scholarships to academically outstanding United States citizens studying to complete their degrees in science, medicine and engineering, thereby contributing to the worldwide advancement of science and technology.
Russia's launch of Sputnik in 1957 awakened America to the realization that the country was woefully lacking enough educated scientists, engineers, doctors and teachers to address this challenge. Through the foresight of four prominent Los Angeles women, Mrs. Thomas M. Malouf, Mrs. Franklin G. Slagel, Mrs. John C. Tyler and Mrs. Dean Wooldridge, a national board of 53 ladies and the Los Angeles Founder Chapter of 69 members were concurrently established in 1958.
With the knowledgeable help of Dr. Lee Dubridge, then President of California Institute of Technology, a program was set up to donate scholarship monies to carefully chosen colleges and universities with outstanding scientific curricula. They in turn would pick motivated students in the fields of engineering, medicine and the natural sciences to receive undergraduate and graduate degrees. An approved student may receive a scholarship for the following year if ARCS' criteria is met.
ARCS Foundation Today
The National ARCS Foundation presently consists of 12 chapters located in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Lubbock, Metropolitan Washington, Northern California, Orange County, Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle. Each chapter allocates the monies raised yearly for scholarships to its approved colleges and universities in its geographic area. Nationally, for the 2000-2001 academic year, ARCS awarded $3.8 million for 440 students at 43 schools. The cumulative total since ARCS' founding is $37.7 million dollars for 8,750 scholarships.
ARCS Orange County Chapter History
The Orange County Chapter is embarking on its fourth year after a highly successful launch by founding president Pat Beckman and 47 founding members who raised $62,000 and awarding 5 scholarships of $12,500 each, three to the University of California, Irvine School of Engineering and two to the School of Physical Sciences. Their second year saw $107,896 donated by members, friends, corporations and foundations for seven scholarships between the two previously named schools, the School of Medicine and the School of Biological Sciences. In addition the Chapter's endowment amounts to $131,250 through the generosity of Donna and Greg Jenkins and Patricia Beckman. Today, the ARCS Foundation supports eight promising scholars from UCI's Schools of Biological Sciences, Engineering, Information and Computer Science, Medicine, and Physical Sciences. The 2002 Scholarship Awards ceremony was held at UCI's University Club on October 11, 2002.
Academic units nominate graduate students to receive ARCS scholarships. UCI is required to abide by ARCS' criteria in making their selections without regard to race, color, creed or gender and in their administering of allocated funds.
All donations are an investment in assuring America's continued progress and preeminence by providing for the education of capable, highly motivated, carefully screened young men and women who will be the skilled, dedicated scientists, technologists, researchers, doctors, engineers and professors to fill this need. Because dues from the members cover all operating costs and fund development work, 100% of all donations go directly to scholarships each year.
Sharon Metzger
UCI-ARCS Program Coordinator
Office of Graduate Studies
120 Administration, UC Irvine
Irvine CA, 92697-3180
(949) 824-8018
fax (949) 824-9096
smetzger@uci.edu
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Last Updated: January 23, 2008
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