The Town & Gown Affiliates of UCLA
The Town & Gown Affiliates of UCLA, founded in 1937, is a cultural bridge to and from the community adjoining the university. UC President Robert Gordon Sproul expressed his desire to make UCLA a “cultural center” for the community. Planning sessions were held to develop an organization that would sponsor campus activities such as faculty lectures, performances, and cultural events. The first official meeting of The University Affiliates, as the organization was originally called, took place on September 30, 1938, at the home of UC Regent and Mrs. Edward A. Dickson.
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our story
As the university’s oldest Town & Gown organization (“Town” to stipulate the wonderful Los Angeles community surrounding the campus and “Gown” in honor of the robes symbolizing academia’s highest honors and degrees), The Affiliates of UCLA creates lunch and dinner events with a window into education and featuring distinguished faculty lecturers as well as noted speakers. The Affiliates also support academic scholarships for students through its endowment of over $1.5 million and is the proud sponsor of the award for Best Production at UCLA’s annual “Spring Sing”.
contact us
If you would like more information regarding the Town & Gown Affiliates of UCLA, please send an email to affiliates@alumni.ucla.edu.
This site is checked and updated regularly. Should you find errors anywhere on the site, please notify the Website Manager at affiliates@alumni.ucla.edu.
scholarship and support
The Affiliates Scholarship Program, established in 1948, has grown in the amount of support it offers to students as well as in the diversity of the awards. In 2013, The Affiliates awarded over $135,000 in scholarships across a full range of disciplines, in recognition of academic excellence. The Affiliates awards the following scholarships and fellowships from endowed funds that are managed by The UCLA Foundation:
• The Affiliates Scholarships- Awarded to undergraduate Distinguished Bruin Scholars, community college transfer students, and to students throughout the entire university either as full scholarships or Adopt-a-Scholar awards.
• The Hortense Fishbaugh Memorial Scholarships – Given to promising students selected by the Affiliates Fine Arts Scholarship and Graduate Division Committees.
• The Margaret and Charles Pollak Memorial Scholarships – Presented to top graduate students in the fields of humanities, social sciences, education, social welfare, and library and information science.
• The Stevens House Scholarships- Awarded to under-represented minority undergraduates through the Financial Aid Office. Awards are made in honor of Venye Corporal and Episcopal Bishop Stevens.
• The Marjorie J. Melin Trust was gifted to us in early 2009, and a formal Quasi Endowed fund established on 6/11/2010 in the amount of $329,043. The fund was established with the objective of providing scholarships and fellowships to candidates selected by the Affiliates of UCLA Scholarship Committee for the benefit of undergraduate, graduate and transfer students.
• The Adopt-A-Scholar Program offers our members the opportunity to “adopt a scholar” for the year. The “adopting” members may both serve on the selection committee and choose the field in which the award is given. The award for the year may be named either for the donor or someone who the donor chooses to honor.
The UCLA community has a history of giving to those that need assistance and deserve recognition. Below are a few historical photos highlighting their amazing contributions to the UCLA community.
board of directors
president
Robin Phillips ‘77
vice president – programs
John Gong ‘80
vice president – events
Denise Connolly ‘86
vice president – scholarships
Hank Lopez-Ona
vice president – membership
Harry Schned ’82, M.S. ’86, M.D. ‘89
treasurer
Alan Phillips
secretary
June Kim
directors
- Albert Aubin, Ed.D. ‘71
- Andrea Nolan
- Debby Wagger
ex officio members
- Chancellor and Mrs. Gene Block
honorary members
Kristine Werlinich
Julie Sina