Fund: Risso Endowed Award in Theatre Department: Theatre Film & Digital Prod Dept D01038 Purpose: Graduate or Undergraduate Student Support History and Purpose: In 1999, following the retirement of Dr. Richard Risso, a theatre professor who had profoundly affected his students' lives in his 32 years of teaching at UCR, his former students, led by Kevin Hoggard and Bill Schmechel, established the Richard Risso Theatre Award. The students wanted to create a lasting tribute in recognition of Dr. Risso's many years of excellence as a teacher and a director, and they also sought to help the Theatre Department recruit and retain good students. The fund meant a great deal to Dr. Risso, who said that it had been "a dream of his to do this." Dr. Risso contributed generously to the fund as well. He said that he had benefited from scholarships when he was in college and he welcomed this as an opportunity to do the same for students now. In 2000, to recognize its endowed status, the fund was renamed the Risso Endowed Award in Theatre. Selection and Guidelines: At the discretion of the Theatre Department Request for Information: Request Scholarship Information