On September 8, Scripps College announced the establishment of The Lori Bettison-Varga Endowment Fund for Student Thesis and Research Support. The fund will focus on supporting senior thesis/senior capstone projects, a Scripps tradition and the pinnacle of the College’s academic program.
As seniors, Scripps students are required to conduct original research that is not only the culmination of their work in their majors, but also can make significant contributions to their fields of study. On Scripps’ Capstone Day, held each spring, selected students present their theses and senior projects to peers, mentors, staff, and faculty from across The Claremont Colleges. The Lori Bettison-Varga Endowment Fund will support these students by underwriting their research, which includes materials and equipment and costs associated with conference presentations of their work.
The fund honors Scripps’ outgoing Scripps College President Lori Bettison-Varga, whose commitment to undergraduate research has been a hallmark of her leadership; in 2012 she helped the College secure a $700,000 grant to support undergraduate research from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
In a letter to the Scripps College community announcing the fund, Board of Trustees Chair Mark R. Herron and Trustee Nancy Katayama ’77, chair of the Campaign for Scripps College, writes, “President Bettison-Varga’s personal dedication to Scripps’ students, alumnae, families, faculty, and staff is immeasurable; our College is better for her having served it.”
Though it is focused on senior theses, the Lori Bettison-Varga Endowment Fund may be expanded to serve all undergraduate research as future needs arise. For more information about PresidentBettison-Varga’s departure and the fund, visit her farewell page.