Ducks Give '22

At the UO, creating an inclusive campus community is a top priority. The Diversity Excellence Scholarship provides an important financial tool to help students from diverse backgrounds enroll at the UO and achieve success. These scholarships represent a way to recognize the academic achievements and potential of highly talented students.

"What can I do for other people to have this (DES) experience? I'm so grateful for it. There are brilliant people who need the opportunity." --Jason Johnson, BS '13, Wealth Advisor, Sonoma County Wealth Advisors

By advancing equity and inclusion, Diversity Excellence Scholarships benefit the entire university. Increasing access for diverse, underrepresented students brings valuable cultural perspectives to campus, improving our UO community and enhancing classroom experiences, as well as all the exciting opportunities for learning and growth beyond the classroom. These scholarships include culturally relevant advising in the Center for Multicultural Academic Success.

"I graduated from the UO in 1994 with a degree in biochemistry. Because of this scholarship, I was able to work in Professor Diane Hawley's lab in the Institute of Molecular Biology, doing basic science research on MRNA transcription for three years, while juggling a part-time job to pay for my living expenses. My research experience in particular cemented my love of science, research, the joy of collaboratively working on a team, and my desire to work in medicine. I am now an internist and geriatrician working in the downtown county jail in Portland. It's highly satisfying to have the ability to work with vulnerable and hard-to-reach members of the community. I feel like I am making a positive impact on others every day." --Angelina Platas, BS '94

More than 1,200 students have received this scholarship since 1990. In 2022, it serves more than 350 undergraduate and graduate students, and provides support for a $6,500 award annually. It's gone by different names and acronyms over the years, but its purpose remains constant: Ensure that students from diverse backgrounds have the financial and advising support to choose the UO and find academic and career success. Your gift during Ducks Give plays a big part in reducing financial stress on Diversity Excellence Scholars, helping them on their path to become Duck alumni. Each dollar makes a difference—make a gift today!