Celebrating 60 Years of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - November 7 - Kimberley Bitterwolf, Kim Polese and Lauren Lahey attend ARCS Scholar Awards Celebration 2018 on November 7th 2018 at Ritz Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, CA (Photo - Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography)

Achievement Rewards for College Scientists celebrated 60 years and more than $20.6 million in scholarships distributed to academically outstanding U.S. students on November 7, 2018. The Northern California Chapter alone has awarded 2,667 scholars pursuing advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This year the chapter distributed $902,000 in unrestricted funds to 74 students. The academics gathered with some 325 supporters for the lively reception and dinner in their honor at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.

Donna Miller Casey, who helped organize and establish ARCS Northern California Chapter with her mother, formerly Ann Russell Miller, now Sister Mary Joseph of the Trinity, served as honorary chair for the 60th-anniversary celebration. Chairman and CEO of Cisco Chuck Robbins received the ARCS prestigious American Pacesetter Award. Event Chairs Laine Buckingham, Sallie Huntting and Deborah Mann announced more than $260,000 raised for next year’s scholars.

Scenes from ARCS Northern California 60th Anniversary event:

ARCS Northern California Chapter selects students from six universities including Stanford, San Francisco State, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Davis, University of California, San Francisco, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. The ARCS Northern California Chapter ARCS is a dedicated group of Bay Area women focused on securing America ’s leadership in science by granting awards to top scholars pursuing graduate studies in the sciences, technology, engineering, math, and medical research at six Northern California universities.

Photos by Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography

Related — Red Carpet Bay Area coverage for ARCS: