I’m honored to serve UC San Diego as the newest chair of Chancellor’s Associates because I believe education, higher education in particular, is the great leveler for people of all backgrounds. It provides unparalleled opportunities for social mobility and personal development during this critical stage of life and drives societal change that benefits us all. 

Many of our scholars are the first in their families to pursue a university education. The Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship Program is unique in that it not only provides financial support for scholars to attend UC San Diego, but it also provides resources that equip each scholar with the tools to flourish. Without the financial burden of tuition and student loans, they can pursue opportunities like internships, leadership roles in student organizations, and research positions that are available on campus.

Long term, the Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship Program provides essential skills for these scholars to succeed in their professional lives and chosen careers alongside a network of peers and more than 225,000 UC San Diego alumni. 

I’m proud of the work we’re doing to empower these scholars and contribute to thriving communities across San Diego County and throughout California.

Thank you for your commitment to educational equity and social change. We couldn’t do this important work without you.

Sincerely,

David E. Buccigrossi ’79, MD ’84
Chair, Chancellor's Associates

Ngoc Trinh Tran Phung ’23

Chancellor’s Associates scholar Ngoc Trinh Tran Phung is working toward her goal of becoming a dentist. Her hard work and her mother’s sacrifices set her on the path to success after their move from Vietnam nearly 20 years ago. At that time, they moved frequently, bouncing between babysitter’s and coworker’s houses. Even then, her mother found ways to provide for and support her. And Phung helped her mother with translations and paperwork, a skill that allowed her to pick up English quickly.  

When it was time to apply to college, Phung wanted to go to UC San Diego to stay close and take care of her mother but she didn’t get in. She got her associate’s degree from a community college and reapplied. “This time I got in! About a week after receiving my acceptance letter, I got another letter saying I am also receiving the Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship,” says Phung. “It was near Mother’s Day so my gift to my mom was to surprise her with the news. My mom and I have gone through a lot together, but we never showed our emotions in front of each other until that day. We broke down crying tears of joy, and it was the happiest I have ever seen my mom.”

Today, Phung is a biochemistry major at Muir College, the president of Transfers in Science and Tribe of Muir Transfers, and has an internship at a crown and bridge dental lab. This year, she’ll be a Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship Program (CASP) 101 summer intern and a CASP peer leader. “Receiving this scholarship has lifted a huge financial weight off my shoulders and allowed me to begin my college career debt-free,” says Phung. “As a low-income, first-generation college student, CASP has also provided me with resources and mentors to guide me towards my career goals.”

Learn more about our other scholars.

Nitzana Alzalde, Preuss ’14, ’18

Nitzana Alzalde knew that in order to go to law school in the future, she needed to keep her undergraduate costs low. The Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship enabled her to graduate from UC San Diego debt-free in 2018 with a dual-major in political science and ethnic studies and accept a job in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, she’s a case manager at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where she is exposed to a plethora of cases ranging from civil, immigration and criminal cases. Alzalde has her eyes on attending law school within the next year.

“Pursuing higher education for me has been life-changing, and I am forever grateful to Chancellor’s Associates for helping me accomplish my goal of being the first in my family to graduate from a four-year university,” says Alzalde. “I wanted to give back to the program that believed in me and I hope that other students are able to benefit from this program as much as I did.”

Alzalde invested in Chancellor’s Associates through the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) match program because, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants in a low-income family, she wanted to help scholars from similar backgrounds overcome obstacles to achieving success.

“I hope that CASP students dedicate time to finding themselves, embracing their identity, creating a community, and exploring different avenues of opportunity during their time at UC San Diego,” says Alzalde. “I think it is very easy to become overwhelmed by imposter syndrome when you are constantly comparing yourself to others in these academic spaces. But just remember that you deserve to be in these spaces, and it is perfectly fine to ask for help and seek resources when necessary.”

Learn more about our other supporters.