We are grateful for Montecito Bank & Trust’s ongoing support of this event!
The Community Leaders Luncheon is an annual event that brings together Santa Barbara’s leaders and Scholarship Foundation supporters to celebrate the importance of education. Speakers share their own education experiences and highlight the important role the Scholarship Foundation plays in helping deserving students pursue their dreams of higher education.
Some 250 people attended the Scholarship Foundation’s 2022 Community Leaders Luncheon at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort on December 5.
Featured speakers included Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons, a past Scholarship Foundation recipient and an infectious disease physician and internist at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, and Arturo “Cheech” Raygoza (pictured), a current recipient and student at UC Berkeley. Foundation Board Chair Matt Rowe also addressed attendees, as did Foundation President and CEO Barbara Robertson.
Mr. Raygoza, an aspiring academic, shared his experience overcoming poverty, addiction, and gang life to excel academically at Allan Hancock College. “If you stop giving someone a second chance, they stop having one. Because of your generous donations, I’ve been given a second chance!” he said.
Ms. Robertson, who recently announced her retirement at the end of the year, reflected on her 22 years of service to the Foundation. “My involvement with the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara has been an exceptionally rewarding experience. I can’t imagine a more fulfilling way to spend one’s working years,” she said.
The Community Leaders Luncheon is an invitation-only event. For more information, contact Associate Director of Development Nicole Jones at (805) 687-6065 or [email protected].