USAC hopes to secure funding for community service scholarship

The undergraduate student government’s Community Service Commission is attempting to secure funding to continue offering a community service scholarship.

The scholarship was established by former Undergraduate Students Association Council President Jasmine Hill two years ago.

The purpose of the scholarship is to financially support any undergraduate student who is a dedicated volunteer and leader in the community, said USAC Community Service Commissioner Anees Hasnain.

The scholarship has been inconsistently funded since its establishment.

In its first year, Chancellor Gene Block gave $60,000 from his discretionary fund for the scholarship, Hasnain said. The money was intended to be spent over a two-year time span but was depleted that year as 60 students each received $1,000 scholarships.

Last year the office of Janina Montero, vice chancellor of student affairs, contributed $30,000, which was distributed among 40 students in $750 scholarships, Hasnain said.

The USAC president’s office chose to no longer head the initiative this year.

USAC President David Bocarsly said he supports the project and is still involved in communications with the administration regarding the scholarship. But a shift from solely rewarding service within the UCLA community to also including service outside the school community influenced his decision to have the community service commissioner head the scholarship this year, he said.

Without a stable source of funding, it is unclear whether the scholarship will return this year, Hasnain said. The Community Service Commission is working with alumni, namely former USAC President Robert Michaels, and administration to continue the scholarship this year and in future years, she added.

“We want to establish a more formal, streamlined system that we can record and then present to outside entities,” Hasnain said.

She said she hopes to give out $1,000 scholarships again this spring, though the number of recipients will depend on the amount of money received from donors within and outside of UCLA.

The Community Service Commission is also in talks with Montero to partially fund the scholarship, Hasnain said.
Montero could not be reached for comment about her involvement with the scholarship program.

Nauman Charania, a former assistant community service commissioner, said he thinks improving alumni relations to secure the project’s continuation was a smart strategy.

“It’s always good to get more funding for scholarships because if there’s more money, more students are rewarded, more stories are told and more people become involved,” he said.

If the commission can secure funding for the award, it plans to instill some changes to the scholarship.

The commission plans to name it the John Sarvey Scholarship after the late John Sarvey, who served as the USAC community service commissioner in 1988-1989 and president in 1989-1990. Sarvey, who died late last year, believed in the values of leadership and community service, and he continued to work in education and serve the public throughout his life, Hasnain said.

Hasnain said she is pushing to continue the scholarship because she thinks the reward is a significant gesture – both financially and symbolically – to its student recipients.

“The scholarship is such a great thing because it goes to students who are putting in so many hours to service – hours which they could be using for part-time jobs or other paid work instead,” said Jamie Yao, last year’s community service commissioner. “The financial recognition for these students and the general recognition of their dedication
is important.”

If it’s able to secure funding, the community service commission plans to open the scholarship application online during spring quarter, Hasnain said.

Email Schallert at aschallert@media.ucla.edu.