Warren Christopher Scholarship Fund

Each year, the Warren Christopher Scholarship Fund provides scholarships toward four years of college tuition to 8-10 outstanding high school sophomores in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Scholarships are directed to these talented, yet financially disadvantaged, sophomores because such students typically receive less attention from academic support programs and because the goal of the program is to encourage students to finish high school and pursue a college degree.

The challenges Christopher Scholars have overcome are profound. Often attending high schools with high drop-out rates and living in circumstances ravaged by drugs, violence and poverty, Christopher Scholars have gone on to become successful teachers, public servants, doctors, lawyers and business people. They have attended some of the finest universities in the country, including the Ivy League schools, Stanford University, MIT and most of the University of California schools. Nearly 150 Christopher Scholars have been named since its founding in 1992. All scholars have graduated from high school, and all but one has graduated from college, is currently in college or plans to attend college after graduating from high school.

The Warren Christopher Scholarship program is one of the most cost-efficient and successful scholarship programs of its kind in the country. Relying on an original $1.5 million grant, a focused mission, wise investment decisions and minimal overhead costs, the program has awarded roughly $3 million in scholarships — or twice the initial grant. The fund was established at the California Community Foundation in 1992 with a gift by O'Melveny & Myers LLP to honor Warren Christopher — the firm’s former chairman and senior partner — when he was appointed U.S. Secretary of State. Secretary Christopher is an alumnus of Hollywood High School in the LAUSD.

The Warren Christopher Scholarship Fund is in the middle of a fundraising campaign, in which it seeks to raise $5 million to make the program permanent, ensuring that 10 or more scholars a year will be recognized and allowing the fund to adjust for increasing tuition costs. O’Melveny & Myers and Secretary Christopher have already made significant pledges and contributions toward this goal.

Please join them in supporting more promising LAUSD students by making a secure contribution to The Warren Christopher Scholarship Fund today. Donate now.

Fund Background

For more details about the Warren Christopher Scholarship program and its scholars, visit O'Melveny.

Contributions to the California Community Foundation represent irrevocable gifts subject to the legal and fiduciary control of the foundation's board of directors.