Why We Changed Our Name
You may have noticed something a little different about us…
… We have a new name: Berkeley Community Scholars.
In 1991 Berkeley Community Fund was founded to help fund nonprofits in Berkeley. In 2007, the Board of Directors made the decision to focus entirely on supporting low-income, first-generation Berkeley High graduates attending four-year universities.
Twelve years later, the Board of Directors made another major decision—to change our name to better reflect what we do and who we serve—our community’s scholars, both at four-year colleges and Berkeley City College.
Over the years, the program has grown to include a staff of five and a team of volunteer mentors who support more than 150 students each year as they navigate their college journey. We call these students “scholars” for their commitment to their studies, their future, and their communities. The name of our organization should, we felt, honor these resolute, idealistic, and simply amazing young people.
Berkeley Community Fund will now be called Berkeley Community Scholars—a small change in terms of our visual identity, but a pivotal and meaningful decision for us.