October 9, 2003
Costco breakfast nets $1.75 million for scholarships
The fourth annual Costco Scholarship breakfast raised $1.75 million for undergraduate scholarships at the UW and Seattle University.
The event supports students as part of a four-year scholarship commitment to 144 current sophomores and juniors at the UW. More than 700 individuals attended the breakfast.
Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice was the master of ceremonies; Jocelyn Elders, who served as surgeon general in the Clinton administration, was the keynote speaker.
Since its inception, the Costco Scholarship Fund, which was created to make it possible for underrepresented minority students to go to college, has raised more than $4 million and has resulted in scholarships for more than 400 students.
Interim President Lee Huntsman pointed out that the scholarship has been remarkably successful: 99 percent of all students receiving Costco Scholarships have stayed in school.
Seattle University President Steven Sundborg said that the scholarships “are transforming the kind of university we are.”
Jeff Brotman, chairman of Costco Wholesale and a UW regent, said that Costco began the scholarship program “because it is the right thing to do. If we are to create an atmosphere and environment of equality, we need to promote access to education. Some of the best UW students are Costco Scholars, who we hope will become leaders in business and active in government and the civic life of our community.”
Elders urged other corporate leaders to follow the example of Costco and to “care enough to share. Our most valuable resource, our young people is at stake.”
Details about the Costco Scholarship Fund are at http://www.costcoscholarshipfund.org.
