Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation: Investing in Futures

The Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation (RSF) plays a vital role in supporting the educational aspirations of students connected to the Rossmoor community. Through various scholarship programs, the RSF provides financial assistance to deserving individuals, enabling them to pursue higher education and achieve their academic goals. This article explores the RSF's commitment to education, highlighting its different scholarship initiatives, eligibility requirements, and the impact it has on the lives of its recipients.

RSF's Commitment to Education

The Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation believes in giving back to the Rossmoor community. RSF Trustees make scholarship awards in the spirit of giving back to the Rossmoor community that these working families support on a daily basis. Without the kinds of scholarships offered by organizations like the Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation, many students would be unable to continue their higher education. The RSF recognizes the importance of education and strives to make it accessible to those who demonstrate academic promise and financial need. By providing scholarships, the RSF empowers individuals to overcome financial barriers and pursue their dreams of higher education.

Rossmoorians can easily become a part of this endeavor by donating to RSF. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 2056, Walnut Creek, CA 94595, or made online at www.rossmoorscholarship.org by clicking on DONATE.

GRF Employee Scholarship

One of the RSF's key initiatives is the GRF Employee Scholarship, which supports employees of the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) and their dependents. This scholarship recognizes the contributions of GRF employees to the Rossmoor community and provides them with opportunities for educational advancement.

2025 GRF Scholarship Recipients

In 2025, the RSF will award two GRF scholarships under the leadership of retiring RSF Trustee Patsy Sharaf, who initiated the program and ran it from its beginnings in 2019.

Camille Bordelon: The daughter of RWC employee Simone Bordelon, a bus driver for GRF for 17 years. Camille is graduating with a GPA of 3.6 and received honors for her efforts in cross country running. She will major in art at San Francisco State University. Her older sister Creola was the recipient of the first GRF Employee Scholarship in 2020. Camille writes, "My family has had a rough past, but watching my family persevere through these things is what made it evident that investing in myself and the future is serious. I am super committed to moving forward with my education.”
Marquita Shelton: An employee in the GRF Accounting Department for the past three years. Shelton will use her scholarship to continue work towards her B.S. in accounting at California State University, East Bay. Her daughter, Kimora Amari Sky McLemore, received a GRF scholarship in 2023 and is currently a junior at Grambling State University in Louisiana. McLemore was recently elected Ms. National Society of Black Engineers for the 2025-26 school year and finished the semester with a 3.64 GPA. Shelton writes, “Life has a way of unfolding in unexpected ways, reshaping our carefully laid plans in moments we never anticipate. One significant experience for me was when my husband and I took on significant family responsibilities, deeply altering the path of our lives.” In 2019 Shelton and her husband became legal guardians for their two nieces (one of whom is autistic) when their mother passed away. They were also making a home for their own three children, plus a brother-in-law with cerebral palsy. Over the years she has taken courses where she was able to work toward an accounting degree. “As a 40-year-old woman returning to school to complete my degree, I’ve faced the challenge of balancing academics with personal responsibilities.”

Rossmoor Homeowners Association (RHA) Scholarship

The Rossmoor Homeowners Association (RHA) also demonstrates a commitment to education through its scholarship program. The Our Rossmoor High School Scholarship Awards, presented by the RHA, reflect the organization's ongoing support of education in the community.

History and Evolution of the RHA Scholarship

The RHA's support of education has roots in Rossmoor developer Ross Cortese's vision for the community and the importance he and his wife, Alona, placed on education. Gary Stewart helped create the Our Rossmoor Scholarship program in 2010 to recognize RHA member families with graduating high school students. The RHA retired its Scholarship program in 2020.

RHA Scholarship Recipients

2020: Ashley Maritato and Brian Rogers, both seniors graduating from Los Alamitos High School, were the recipients of the Rossmoor Homeowners Association High School Scholarship Awards.
2019: Natalie Petersen and Nyssa Yota, Los Alamitos High School seniors, received the RHA Scholarship Awards. Their scores were based on GPA, on and off-campus activities, and an essay on how to improve Rossmoor.
2017: Lisa Teufel and Alexa Gomberg, seniors at Los Alamitos High School, were the recipients of the RHA high school scholarship awards.
2016: Josie was among the Rossmoor Homeowners Association High School Scholarship Awards recipients. Each applicant's household had to be a current member of the RHA to be eligible for the scholarship awards.
2015: Georgia Kouros, Cindy Asano, and Johnny Blumberg, Los Al seniors, were the winners of the RHA High School Scholarship Awards.
2014: Philip Paulson, Madisen Swallow, and Austin Geller, seniors at Los Alamitos High School, were the winners of the RHA High School Scholarship Awards. Philip Paulson planned to attend Purdue University.
2012: Megan Carpenter, Garrett Celestin, and Caroline Mucho, all attending Los Al High, were the RHA High School Senior Scholarship Award winners. All three had grade point averages over 4.0.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the RHA Scholarship Awards, applicants must:

Reside in Rossmoor with a current member of the RHA.
Be graduating high school seniors.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

Besides the RSF and RHA scholarships, Rossmoor students may also be eligible for other scholarship opportunities, such as the Rossmoor Rotary Club Scholarship and the Subaru "Share the Love" Scholarship.

Impact on Recipients

The scholarships offered by the RSF and RHA have a profound impact on the lives of their recipients. These scholarships provide not only financial assistance but also encouragement and motivation to pursue higher education.

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Testimonials from Past Recipients

A 2021 RSF Scholarship recipient: "I would like to thank you for the support over the last two years. I graduated from California State East Bay with my BA in Human Development and a minor in Deaf studies. … I am excited to announce that I am volunteering with CSU East Bay as a research assistant until May…"
A former scholarship recipient from 2016: "I am a former scholarship recipient from 2016, and with your generous award, I was able to attend and graduate from San Francisco State University. I would also like to share that your generosity allowed me to propel myself forward in so many ways, and because of that, I am glad to share with you that I will be attending Samuel Merritt University for their Doctor of Physical Therapy Program this fall of 2024."

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