Scholarships directly support students, helping them to bridge gaps in financial aid, avoid debt, and complete their education. Scholarships can also enable students to enrich their learning through pursuing opportunities such as professional conferences, research, and internships.

Students in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts (CLCA) is home to the Schools of Art, Cinema, Design, the Humanities and Liberal Studies, Music, and Theater and Dance. Scholarships provide our students with the time to focus on their craft to become incredible performers, the means to acquire equipment to create intricate projects and pursue their art, and the opportunity to undertake critical research which will enrich our understanding of the world's culture and history.

As a donor, you can choose to contribute to an existing scholarship fund, create a new named endowed scholarship, or a form a new named expendable (annual) scholarship.

Donate to Exisiting CLCA Scholarships

Named Endowed Scholarship

A donor may establish a named endowed scholarship with a minimum gift of $25,000. The SF State Foundation invests and manages these funds and, based on performance, up to 4% of the endowment’s fair market value can become available annually to provide scholarship awards to students (e.g., a gift of $25,000 can provide an annual scholarship of $1,000). The larger the endowment, the greater the annual award available to students.

Donors can either establish an endowment with an outright gift of at least $25,000 or through a pledge payable over a period of up to five years. While making contributions to build the principal of the endowed fund, donors may also provide additional gifts to award scholarships in the period of time that the endowment is maturing. When the principal reaches the desired level of funding ($25,000 minimum), the endowment is considered fully funded and provides awards in perpetuity.

Endowment funds are subject to an annual management fee of 1.25% plus investment management fees that are calculated and assessed on a quarterly basis. These fees cover the costs associated with investing and managing the funds.

Named Expendible (Annual) Scholarship

The minimum amount required to establish a named expendable scholarship is $5,000. Unlike endowed scholarships, expendable scholarships do not exist in perpetuity or accrue interest. Awards can only be made based on the balance available in the fund.

Please contact the development director(s) listed below to arrange a named scholarship.

College of Liberal & Creative Arts Student Stories

Len Haynes: Scholarship Recipient

After a successful career in the music industry, Len Haynes returned to SF State to pursue two degrees in video production. He received two scholarships at the University, the Bengier Foundation University Scholarship, and the $2,000 Osher Reentry Scholarship, which is awarded to students pursuing degrees later in life. Len now teaches video production at SF State and recently had a song chosen to be on the soundtrack of the movie 'Ocean's 8'.
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Grace Villaroman: Scholarship Recipient

After winning the Gordon Thomas Scholarship in Fall 2017, Grace Villaroman was able to buy much-needed equipment to create her animations. Her distinctive portfolio won her a much-coveted internship at Disney’s Pixar studios just months later.
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Seira Yasumatsu scholarship and award winner

Seira Yasumatsu: Scholarship Recipient

In 2017, Seira Yasumatsu won a $8,000 scholarship funded by Sodexo. The award helped her to meet the challenge of supporting her 2-year old daughter while focusing on academics. Months later, a product she designed won a prestigious award.
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