In 1908, a group of Yale alumni gathered to formulate plans for a regional alumni association that would be different from the Yale Club of New York City. They wanted their association’s primary focus to be on providing financial support to Westchester students who were admitted to Yale University but lacked the necessary funds for tuition, room and board.

 In 2003, ninety-five years later, Yale alumni still gather in Westchester to remember this fundamental mission and to support it in several ways. Financially supporting Yale students is the driving force of the Yale Westchester Alumni Association (YWAA). The mission has been reenergized over the last five years with the creation of the Yale – All Westchester Scholarship Banquet in October of each year. The event gains attention, reminds people of the association’s purpose, thanks contributors of the previous year, and challenges members to make new contributions in the months ahead.

 Other means have been created to encourage giving to the scholarship fund. “Named” Scholarship Trusts have been initiated by several Westchester alumni. Yale University encourages creation of new “named” trusts when donors are able to contribute at least $100,000. For the time being in Westchester, it is possible to establish a “named” Scholarship Trust at the $25,000 level. Even though these reserves have fluctuated in a gyrating financial market, supplements by alumni have kept funds strong and growing each year. 

“Named” Scholarship Trusts also offer alumni an opportunity to designate the kind of student they would like to support. It is a requirement that Yale’s Admissions Department and its Financial Aid Department utilize in making all decisions regarding the admission of students and the determination of financial aid required. Alumni may choose among those students who receive financial aid and whom they wish to support.

 The Susan and David King Scholarship Trust, for example, targets Westchester students at Yale who receive financial aid and who have demonstrated musical ability or who are pursuing community service. Similarly, the Gayle and John Lee Scholarship Trust targets Westchester students who exemplify the characteristics of the late John Lee in terms of scientific or engineering aptitude, leadership and generous service. The George E. Pataki Scholarship Trust was created by anonymous donors to target outstanding students whose gifts would show up in public service. If the 20 or 30 Westchester students who receive financial aid each year do not include obvious examples to suit these Trusts, then the

Scholarship Committee awards Trust funds to students who come closest to the model. Merrell Clark, Chairman of the YWAA Scholarship Committee, provided some examples of Trust recipients. He indicated that, “In 2002, the King Trust award was presented to a brilliant cellist, Erika Teraoka of Rye, who now is continuing her cello studies in Europe. The Lee Trust award was presented to Raju Patel of Mount Kisco, an outstanding pre-med scientist who also pursued a variety of activities intended to improve the lives of Indian women. The Pataki Trust award was presented to Victor Corona of White Plains who demonstrated a gift at community organizing in high school and at Yale and who now is engaged in a political science graduate course.“

 In addition to the annual banquet fundraiser and the opportunity to create new “named” trusts, the Scholarship Committee invites individual contributions to be made through letters from individual alumni, and it is noted that any alumni event that creates a surplus in turn supports the Scholarship Fund.