UCOP staffers help raise nearly $1.2M for scholarships | Welcome to the UCOP e-newsletter

Assistant Vice Provost Yvette Gullatt has already met her promise and raised her target amount of $1,100 for undergraduate UC scholarships through Promise for Education, UC's crowd-funding campaign that kicked off in mid-September.

About 30 UCOP "promisers" have helped raise nearly $1.2 million through the university-wide effort, with promises ranging from running a marathon to wearing a tutu to work. The campaign ends this Thursday, Oct. 31, so you still have time to donate to a promise that inspires you - and it all goes to support deserving UC undergrads.

Gullatt's promise is unusual in that she's not just helping raise funds for scholarships, but she's also helping students in another way: Her promise was to provide 20 high school seniors with individual assistance on the personal statement for their UC undergraduate application.

"I reached out to every parent I know who has a high school senior and put the word out through organizations like the Council of African American Parents and Destination College Advising Corps," Gullatt said.

The result? She now has about 50 kids lined up for help with their UC applications, and she's not turning anyone away. Each year she also conducts a workshop in writing statements for OP staff with children who are applying to UC.

Senior leaders lead the effort

Other OP promisers include CFO Peter Taylor, who also met his goal, raising more than $2,600 as part of a three-pronged promise: He will wear a tuxedo to a Regents meeting, grow a goatee for three months and play his cello at next year's Staff Appreciation Week talent show.

Several other senior leaders are among the UCOP staff who have made worthy and fun promises that deserve your support:

• Agriculture and Natural Resources VP Barbara Allen-Diaz has a two-tier promise; help her meet her $2,500 goal and she will wear a colony of bees. For $5,000 she promises to eat protein-rich insects. She raised more than $1,500 to date.


• EVP Nathan Brostrom promises to tutor in an Oakland school every month next year, grow a beard through the holidays and lead UCOP employees on a monthly run around Lake Merritt if he hits his $4,000 goal. He's about halfway there.


• External Relations EVP Dan Dooley already met his goal and has promised to get his fortune told and post the results on Facebook.


• General Counsel and VP Charlie Robinson has nearly met his $2,500 goal and promises to not only donate 40 hours of tutoring to an Oakland public school, but also wear a penguin costume to a meeting of the President's cabinet.

Through the Promise campaign, nearly 1,000 people across the UC system - from celebrities to students - have made promises and pledged to fulfill them if they reach their fundraising goals. More than 3,000 donations, averaging $75 each, have been made; all funds go to financial support for UC undergraduate students.

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Source: Ucop