Fund: Ohana Scholars Education Abroad Support Fund Department: Undergrad Student Financial Aid D02089 Purpose: Graduate or Undergraduate Student Support BACKGROUND Inspired by their parents’ experience that achieved generational socio-economic change through education, Laura and Rodney McDermott would like to build a meaningful, supportive, and connected community to bolster student success. Inspired by the word "ohana" which means "family" in Hawaiian, the McDermotts understand how important family-and the support that family provides-is for young people as they pursue their academic goals. In this spirit, the McDermotts would like to establish the Ohana Scholars Education Abroad Support Fund-in conjunction with the Ohana Scholars Business Scholarship Fund that will support a 4-year cohort of students majoring in business (pre-business and business). Over the four years, the McDermotts’ donation will support students financially to reduce economic hardship. The family will also encourage students to study abroad through the Ohana Scholars Education Abroad Support Fund and offer mentorship and career-building opportunities through their personal commitment. Rodney has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. He is the CEO + Co-Founder of McDermott + Bull, an executive search firm founded in 2001, the President + CEO of M+B Interim Leaders, which he co-founded in 2011, and the CEO + Co-Founder of Activate180, an employee coaching and performance development company. The McDermotts have a special connection to UCR. Laura’s father, Eliud Martinez, taught at UCR in the Comparative Literature Program from 1972 - 1995. Martinez also chaired the Chicano Studies Program and helped develop the Creative Writing Program. In 1985, he designed "Introduction to Race and Ethnicity," a course that became a requirement for all students at UC Riverside. After Martinez’s passing in 2020, the McDermotts established the Professor Eliud Martinez Endowed Scholarship in Creative Writing in his honor. Fund Purpose: This Fund shall be used to provide study abroad scholarships to students that have been selected to receive a scholarship from the Ohana Scholars Business Scholarship Fund. The intention of the scholarship is to encourage students to pursue a study abroad opportunity and remove financial obstacles that couldprevent or discourage such pursuits. It is the donor’s desire that if there is an accumulation of funding—due to lack of student interest or small awards—that monies be transferred to the Ohana Scholars Business Scholarship Fund. Financial Aid will make the determination on a periodic basis. Criteria and Selection Process The Financial Aid Office will award students who meet the following criteria: - Scholarship recipients of the Ohana Scholars Business Scholarship Fund - Have maintained satisfactory academic progress - Completed all study abroad applications and approvals Request for Information: Request Scholarship Information