By Kendra Pintor
Alumna and Trustee Allison Wysocki ’99 has made a $690,000 gift to Scripps College, creating a new endowed scholarship, and providing significant support to The Scripps Fund to expand student opportunity and experiential learning.
Allison Wysocki ’99 has made a $690,000 gift to Scripps College that will expand access to internships, strengthen financial support for students, and advance the College’s mission to empower women through education. This will establish the Allison Wysocki ’99 Endowed Internship Fund while also creating a new endowed scholarship and providing significant support to The Scripps Fund.
At the heart of the gift is a commitment to experiential learning.
“Internships are important because they provide students with valuable work experience and a chance to test-drive a particular field or role to see if it truly aligns with their passions and strengths,” says Wysocki.
Allison’s ‘Why’
During her time at Scripps, Wysocki completed three internships that proved to be critical first steps on her long-term career path. Her first, at a public relations agency, gave her valuable corporate experience, while her second, at a law firm, helped her realize that the field she had planned to pursue was not the right fit.
“Those experiences helped me land an investment banking internship the following summer, where I found the right fit and received an offer to return full-time after graduation. Twenty-seven years later, I’m still with the same firm, having taken on roles of increasing leadership and responsibility along the way,” she explains.
At a women’s liberal arts college founded on the principle that women should have full access to intellectual and professional opportunity, internships deepen Scripps’ mission by empowering students to dare to step into real-world roles of leadership, service, and creativity.
For many students, internships are transformative experiences that shape both their professional trajectories and personal growth.
“I could not have afforded to take an unpaid internship after graduating. Now, I pretty much have my dream job,” says Lauren Heaney ’25, who received an internship grant to work with U-GO, a nonprofit helping women in low-income countries attend college. “I am extremely grateful to the Scripps internship grant program for this.”
Today, more than 87 percent of Scripps students complete at least one internship during their undergraduate years, reflecting both their ambition and the value employers place on hands-on experience. Yet many of the most meaningful opportunities remain unpaid or offer compensation that does not cover the costs associated with participation.
“I want to give Scripps students the opportunity to confidently explore diverse paths, find their purpose, and navigate today’s complex professional landscape without finances standing in the way, especially at a time when many internships are unpaid,” says Wysocki.
The Impact of Giving
Wysocki’s gift will expand internship grants, so more students access transformative internship experiences without financial strain.
The importance of internship support has become increasingly evident in recent years. In 2024, Scripps launched a special Family Weekend initiative to increase funding for internship grants, which totaled over $50,000. This year, families once again exceeded the campaign’s goal, raising more than $55,000 and demonstrating widespread commitment to experiential learning opportunities for students.
Through this investment in internships, scholarships, and institutional priorities, Wysocki’s generosity reflects a belief in the transformative power of a Scripps education and the importance of expanding access to the opportunities that help students thrive.
“Scripps gave me the foundation that has shaped every chapter of my professional and personal life. My hope is that this gift helps the next generation of Scripps women step into their futures with that same sense of possibility,” says Wysocki.
Give Today! Each generation has strengthened Scripps College in meaningful ways—and now, we have an opportunity to shape the College’s future as we mark this historic centennial milestone. We are proud to announce Scripps Forward: The Centennial Campaign for Scripps College. Over the next three years, our goal is to surpass $100 million in donor support to secure a future of infinite possibility for the next century.
As we continue to attract a growing pool of top talent, your support ensures that these students—regardless of their financial circumstances—can fully engage in Scripps’ academic and co-curricular life.
Thank you for your generosity and moving Scripps students forward.