LB Rotary Awards Scholarships

Long Beach Rotary Scholarship Foundation provided California State University, Long Beach students with $206,750 in scholarships. This foundation awards Long Beach locals at CSULB and Long Beach City College scholarships. The original foundation started in 1929 giving out student loans, then converted into a scholarship program.

After an increase in their scholarship amount, Long Beach Rotary has awarded nearly 200 scholarships every year. Each year they receive over 100 applicants and award about 15 new scholarships to CSULB and LBCC each.

Long Beach Rotary works closely with counselors to get the word out to high school students. As for college or university students, they work closely with the financial aid and scholarship office. They also participate at college fairs to speak directly to students about the scholarships.

“A lot of it is word of mouth from former students who have gotten our scholarships and they tell their friends and family,” said Executive Director of the Scholarship Foundation, Letty Totah.

In 2019, they provided $320,000 worth of scholarships, “Our goal right now is to give out $350,000 worth of scholarships every year,” Totah said.

She also said they do not have a goal for where they want to be, however, they want to provide for every student who needs assistance to be successful. The Rotary Foundation’s motto, “service above self” which acknowledges the important community service holds to them. The foundation gives back with these scholarships, but in other ways.

Reading by Nine is a program established by the Rotary Foundation that ensures schools within Long Beach Unified School District have the materials needed for students to be able to successful read by age nine.

Other ways they have given back is by establishing a middle school curriculum on ethics, sending kids to Camp Enterprise to learn about business and much more.

Long Beach Rotary specifically reaches out to students born and raised in Long Beach because, “The ultimate goal is that the students are born and raised in Long Beach, they are educated in Long Beach, they go to Long Beach schools from kindergarten all the way through college and then hopefully they will give back and work in Long Beach,” Totah said.