Alumnus Christopher Wilson '68 and wife, Sherryl Wilson, establish
first endowment in SAGE Scholars Program
The gift will provide support to underserved UCI students through scholarships and business acumen training
Irvine, Calif., Oct. 19, 2022 – A $450,000 planned gift endowment from alumnus Christopher Wilson and wife, Sherryl Wilson, will advance student success for undergraduates in the Student Achievement Guided by Experience (SAGE) Scholars Program, which is housed under the UCI School of Education’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP). Designed to strengthen the pipeline of diverse students entering the workforce, the funding will primarily support scholarships for the program’s students, all identified as underserved based on their high financial need, with a portion available to support SAGE Scholars Program components.
The SAGE Scholars
"We are so grateful to the Wilson Family for their ongoing support to the SAGE Scholars Program,” said Dr. Stephanie Reyes-Tuccio, assistant vice chancellor for educational partnerships. "This gift will leave a legacy that will serve students in this program year-after-year, creating a strong network of diverse UCI students, primarily first-generation, with the tools to graduate on time and secure leading roles in the career of their choosing."
This is the first endowment established to the SAGE Scholars Program, supporting and sustaining this important work while also creating an opportunity for other UCI alumni and supporters to invest in the longtime impact of this program.
"With the support of my parents, I completed undergraduate work at UCI with no debt, gaining many of the skills needed to succeed in medical school and my subsequent career in biomedical research and global health. Sherryl and I are pleased to provide this planned gift to help the SAGE Scholars Program extend the opportunities provided to me through a UCI education more broadly to those from underserved communities, enabling them to achieve their own goals and to enrich our communities, our country and beyond," said Christopher Wilson, B.S. in biological sciences '68.
Started in 1999 through the UC Office of the President, the SAGE Scholars Program was created to provide students with limited financial resources and business network connections with the tools and training needed to even the playing field with their greater-resourced peers.
"SAGE is a transformational program that takes a hands-on, holistic approach to supporting students and empowering them to design the life they want to live. It enhances each scholar’s leadership capacity and promotes career readiness competencies for successful transitions from college to career,” said Neda Moayedi, SAGE Scholars Program director. “Scholarships provide additional support to our students, many working multiple part-time jobs in addition to their internships or research assignments to support themselves, and often, their families."
Today, the SAGE Scholars has a large alumni network that continues to support graduates of this program through networking groups, mentoring and philanthropy to sustain and grow the UCI program that helped shape the trajectory of their careers.
This is the first endowment established to the SAGE Scholars Program, supporting and sustaining this important work while also creating an opportunity for other UCI alumni and supporters to invest in the longtime impact of this program.
"With the support of my parents, I completed undergraduate work at UCI with no debt, gaining many of the skills needed to succeed in medical school and my subsequent career in biomedical research and global health. Sherryl and I are pleased to provide this planned gift to help the SAGE Scholars Program extend the opportunities provided to me through a UCI education more broadly to those from underserved communities, enabling them to achieve their own goals and to enrich our communities, our country and beyond," said Christopher Wilson, B.S. in biological sciences '68.
Started in 1999 through the UC Office of the President, the SAGE Scholars Program was created to provide students with limited financial resources and business network connections with the tools and training needed to even the playing field with their greater-resourced peers.
"SAGE is a transformational program that takes a hands-on, holistic approach to supporting students and empowering them to design the life they want to live. It enhances each scholar’s leadership capacity and promotes career readiness competencies for successful transitions from college to career,” said Neda Moayedi, SAGE Scholars Program director. “Scholarships provide additional support to our students, many working multiple part-time jobs in addition to their internships or research assignments to support themselves, and often, their families."
Today, the SAGE Scholars has a large alumni network that continues to support graduates of this program through networking groups, mentoring and philanthropy to sustain and grow the UCI program that helped shape the trajectory of their careers.
About the SAGE Scholars Program
The Student Achievement Guided by Experience (SAGE) Scholars Program provides undergraduates who have significant financial need with leadership training, career and graduate school planning, financial literacy, mentoring, community service engagement, and access to internship and scholarship opportunities. The mission of the program is to strengthen the pipeline of talented diverse students entering the workforce by supporting them in their undergraduate careers and providing them with the tools and training needed to excel in the workforce. The program is housed under the UCI School of Education's Center for Educational Partnerships. For more on the SAGE Scholars Program, visit the website.
About the School of Education
The UCI School of Education is focused on advancing education sciences and contributing to improved educational opportunities and outcomes for individuals across the entire lifespan. A diverse, dynamic and collaborative institution, the School of Education’s research, community partnerships and programming are dedicated to producing innovative scholarship, addressing the needs of local schools, and inspiring future generations of educators. Led by Dean Frances Contreras, the School of Education is ranked No. 10 graduate school of education and No. 4 among public schools of education by U.S. News & World Report. The School of Education is home to more than 1,000 students enrolled in the bachelor, master, and doctoral programs, and a vibrant network of more than 10,000 alumni. The School of Education has been a part of the University of California, Irvine since 1967, when it was established as an Office of Teacher Education. In 1991, it grew into the Department of Education and, in 2012, became the School of Education. For more on the School of Education, visit the website.
The Student Achievement Guided by Experience (SAGE) Scholars Program provides undergraduates who have significant financial need with leadership training, career and graduate school planning, financial literacy, mentoring, community service engagement, and access to internship and scholarship opportunities. The mission of the program is to strengthen the pipeline of talented diverse students entering the workforce by supporting them in their undergraduate careers and providing them with the tools and training needed to excel in the workforce. The program is housed under the UCI School of Education's Center for Educational Partnerships. For more on the SAGE Scholars Program, visit the website.
About the School of Education
The UCI School of Education is focused on advancing education sciences and contributing to improved educational opportunities and outcomes for individuals across the entire lifespan. A diverse, dynamic and collaborative institution, the School of Education’s research, community partnerships and programming are dedicated to producing innovative scholarship, addressing the needs of local schools, and inspiring future generations of educators. Led by Dean Frances Contreras, the School of Education is ranked No. 10 graduate school of education and No. 4 among public schools of education by U.S. News & World Report. The School of Education is home to more than 1,000 students enrolled in the bachelor, master, and doctoral programs, and a vibrant network of more than 10,000 alumni. The School of Education has been a part of the University of California, Irvine since 1967, when it was established as an Office of Teacher Education. In 1991, it grew into the Department of Education and, in 2012, became the School of Education. For more on the School of Education, visit the website.
