Mary Solari Donates $255,000 to College Foundation
Mary Solari and her husband Dick, who passed away in 2008, have been longtime supporters of Cabrillo College. With a generous gift of $255,000, Mary Solari awarded scholarships to 100 students to attend Cabrillo College in the fall. Graduating high school seniors from Santa Cruz County high schools were eligible to apply for the $2,500 scholarships to support hard-working students who are motivated to gain skills in college to become contributing members of society.
Scholarship recipient Barbara Dimas will be graduating from Watsonville High School and enrolling at Cabrillo in the fall. “I chose to attend Cabrillo because it will open many doors to different engineering careers, and it is well known for its engineering department. Coming from a low-income family, this scholarship will help pay for my education in various ways. As a first generation student, I was really unsure about starting college, let alone paying for it. I feel very fortunate and appreciative for receiving these scholarships.”
Mariel Waldon, dreams of working in the art industry after transferring to UC Santa Cruz from Cabrillo College. “Because of Mary’s generosity, I will be able to focus on my art, rather than worry about my finances. I personally believe happiness leads to success. This ethic has led me to art, which has led me to Cabrillo College.”
Mary Solari grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and earned a degree in psychology from the University of Oregon. She went on to work for NBC Radio, Radio Free Asia and Bechtel Engineering before marrying Dick and raising three daughters who all attended Cabrillo College. “It warms my heart to make a difference in these young people’s lives. Sometimes a little help is all it takes to change someone’s life for the better. I hope this is what these scholarships will do,” said Mary.
Cabrillo College Foundation has been on the forefront of the movement to make community college free for students. This year over $800,000 in scholarships was awarded to Cabrillo students.
“Mary’s generosity to Cabrillo is legendary,” said Linda Burroughs, Cabrillo College Foundation President. “Thanks to Mary and our community, the Cabrillo College Foundation is able to provide scholarships to reduce or eliminate financial barriers so students can afford a quality college education.”