Margaret Contreras
LV Life Editor
The annual University of La Verne Scholarship Gala was held Saturday night in the Sheraton Suite and Conference Center at the Fairplex in Pomona. The night brought guests, alumni, students and faculty; with the message to help future generations have access to higher education at the University.
The gala started at 6 p.m. with a reception and ended around 9:30 p.m. with dancing after dinner. There was a silent auction with tables filled with items including NFL Rams’ season tickets, concert tickets to Ariana Grande and a basket filled with ULV merchandise.
This year the Gala celebrated the University’s Women’s Volleyball team, which made it to the NCAA finals and finished as the No. 2 team in the nation among Division III schools.
At the entrance to the building was the ULV dance team and a balloon arch, welcoming guests as they entered the gala. There was a photo opportunity with the University’s celebrities, Leo and Lea.
“This event is about opportunity for students,” junior biology major and ULV dance member Lucia Baltazar-Sanchez said. “I was talking to someone that came tonight, saying that they are here to help students have an opportunity to have an education.”
In the lobby outside of the silent auction room, there was a table with an opportunity to be entered into a drawing to win a chance to name a Leo Legacy Scholarship after yourself or in honor of someone. The amount to enter the drawing was $150, the winner was Linda McLaughlin from the class of 1971.
“The Leo Legacy Scholarship awards a student from the University $10,000,” Christine Camacho, director of annual giving, said. “We have had a lot of people come and donate, some have never donated or they stopped and this gave them an opportunity to start again.”
At 6:40 p.m., guests were ushered into the main ballroom to find their seats for dinner and the speeches. Dinner then started at 7 p.m. with opening remarks from University President Risa Dickson.
“Education transforms lives,” Dickson said. “When we invest in our students, we invest in something much larger than any one individual. We invest in families, in communities and in our shared future.”
The Volleyball team was then recognized by Dickson and brought up onto the stage. The room erupted in applause for the accomplishments of the team and their journey to the championship. A recap of the season was shown, members of the team were interviewed with the leading question of what it means to be at the University.
“Your generosity creates the opportunity, and your belief in our students helps them achieve more than they ever imagined,” Dickson said. “Thank you for believing in our students, for investing in their futures, and for being an important and valued member of the University of La Verne community. And now it’s my great honor to recognize a team of young women that has inspired us all this year through their determination, their leadership and their extraordinary achievement.”
At each table, there was a card of each member of the Volleyball team with their major and year, and little blurb about them.
Then dinner was served after a blessing, which was given by Adonis Borer, president of the Common Ground interfaith club, and senior psychology major.
During the dessert portion of the evening, the pledges started.
Donors could scan a QR code to donate from their phones, and then guests would wave their paddle saying they are willing to pledge or have donated said amount. The pledge started with $10,000, with four guests willing to pledge that amount.
“This has the potential to bring the community together,” board of trustees member Andrew Wong said. “Anything we can do to support our students to thrive and also celebrate the achievements of our volleyball team.”
University administrators were not certain of the total amount raised by press time Thursday.
Margaret Contreras can be reached at margaret.contreras@laverne.edu.
Magaret Contreras is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is editorial director and LV Life editor of the Campus Times and previously worked as editor-in-chief and a staff writer.
Mia Byington is a senior photography major with a minor in marketing. She is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
