June 2, 1997

UC Regent David S. Lee donates $100,000 for engineering scholarships at UCSC

By Robert Irion

David S. Lee, chairman of CMC Industries of Santa Clara and a member of the UC Board of Regents, has pledged $100,000 to establish an endowed scholarship fund for the new Jack Baskin School of Engineering at UCSC.

Annual income from the Regent David S. Lee Scholarship Fund will support one or more undergraduate students in the School of Engineering starting in the fall of 1998. UCSC's Office of Financial Aid and Patrick Mantey, dean designate of the School of Engineering, will choose recipients on the basis of financial need.

"I am very pleased that UC Santa Cruz has established its School of Engineering," said Lee. "As the closest UC campus to Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz can play a key role in helping us fill the shortage of trained engineers from institutions in the Bay Area."

Lee recalled that he came to the U.S. in 1956 with $600 in his pocket and was unable to afford the out-of-state fees required to attend UC. His scholarship fund, he hopes, will help alleviate such situations for future students. "An education in engineering pays back many times over, both in terms of personal earning power and in keeping California competitive in the high-tech market," he said. "The scholarship fund is my way of helping qualified students attain that education."

Lee said he will augment the fund with future donations. He also plans to contribute digital communications equipment to the campus.

"I greatly appreciate Regent Lee's generosity," said Chancellor Greenwood, who announced the scholarship fund last week. "His wonderful gift sets an example of the kind of community partnership that UC Santa Cruz needs now to realize the full promise of the Jack Baskin School of Engineering. Regent Lee's commitment means that more students will have access to UCSC's 21st century engineering programs. That is great news for those students, and it also is very good news for the future economy of this region, the state, and the nation."

Governor Pete Wilson appointed Lee to a 12-year term on the Board of Regents in 1994. His company, CMC Industries, manufactures telecommunications systems and related equipment. CMC Industries employs 1,100 people and has annual sales exceeding $200 million.

Two of Lee's three children are alumni of UCSC. Eric Chih-Yen Lee received his B.A. in psychology in 1988, while Gloria Chih-Ping Lee earned her B.A. in economics in 1990.

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