In a historic gift, billionaire developer Rick Caruso is donating $50 million to Pepperdine Law School to help underserved students attend, pay off student loans and enter public service.
Carmen Izquierdo-Olivia grew up in South Los Angeles with immigrant parents who scrabbled to make ends meet as painters and janitors. She steered clear of the drugs, booze and gangs that entrapped her friends and studied hard enough to earn undergraduate admission to UCLA, UC Berkeley and her first choice, Pepperdine University.
The gift marks the largest contribution for any single project by the Carusos, who also have given more than $150 million over the years to USC and other organizations to support education, healthcare, public safety, culture and arts, and faith-based programs.
Paul L. Caron, Pepperdine law school dean, said the average loan debt of his students is $144,000. More than half of the typical incoming class of 160 students receive scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $57,000, the annual tuition. Most awards are based on financial need and merit — an applicant’s college GPA and law school exam score. The Caruso gift will allow the school to double the percentage of scholarship funds for underserved students to about 30%, Caron said.
Pepperdine former and current students say any help with loans would be a godsend. Jordan Dixon-Hamilton, a Palmdale native and second-year law student, received a Pepperdine scholarship covering half his tuition but still expects to graduate with nearly $160,000 in debt. He said his first-choice career would be public interest law, perhaps working for an elected official, but he may not be able to afford to do so.
Caruso said his desire to expand his philanthropy to graduate and professional education was inspired by a young woman, Jennifer Alvarazo, whom he met while she was in high school and part of an LAPD mentoring program. She grew up in the Imperial Courts housing project in Watts, encountering dead bodies in the street and frequent gunfire. Without her mentors, she said, she would not have made it to college.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Rick and Morty Season Four Has Episode TitlesGet to speculating about 'Rick and Morty' (RickandMorty) Season Four via these new episode titles:
Lire la suite »
Rick Perry: I never heard the President say Biden
Lire la suite »
2022 Winter Olympics should not be held in China, GOP Sen. Rick Scott says'Until you become a legitimate country that is going to respect human rights and respect things you agree to, we're going to quit doing business with you
Lire la suite »
Energy Secretary Rick Perry ResignsAmidst the fallout from his role in the mounting Ukraine scandal, Rick Perry announced his resignation as secretary of energy effective Jan. 1, 2020. What do you think?
Lire la suite »
Justice Department awards over $85 million to bolster school safety in era of active shooters'These federal resources will help to prevent school violence and give our students the support they need to learn, grow, and thrive,' Attorney General William P. Barr said in a press release.
Lire la suite »