The summer after my sisters death we had a gathering at my home to celebrate Jacob’s birthday (Beverly’s son). At the event we were talking about what an inspiration Beverly was to so many of us and how we wished there was something we could do to make sure her story would never die. One of her closest friends, Nikki Dones, spoke up and suggested we start a scholarship in her name.

We brainstormed ideas for most of the day and by the end of the night had decided the details of the scholarship and the way that we would roll it out. Nikki was going use her connection to the UC Berkeley, California Alumni Association (CAA) and have the scholarship be housed under that umbrella. It would allow the family and friends of Beverly to focus on fundraising and recruitment and allow the CAA organization to manage the funds.

Our first year, we hosted a silent auction at the Alumni House on the UC Berkeley campus. This event allowed us to raise funds for the scholarship and we surpassed our goal and raised over $10,000 towards the cause. We have since had a few additional public events and some private investments which have allowed us to continue to give to this critical cause. It was a perfect partnership that has allowed us to give over $40,000 to-date to 10 recipients and their families.

We hope to someday broaden our support to the single re-entry UC Berkeley parents by offering funding to the housing and child care centers on campus over the next few years.

The selection committee for this scholarship:

• Nikki Dones, co-founder, committee chair, friend and fellow student at UC with Beverly Mullins
• Dianna Gewing Mullins, co-founder and sister of Beverly Mullins
• Rudi Gewing Mullins, co-founder and sister-in-law of Beverly Mullins
• Helen Johnson, co-founder, former director of Re-entry program at UC Berkeley and mentor to Beverly Mullins
• RoseMarie Mullins, co-founder and mother of Beverly Mullins
• Jacob Mullins, co-founder and son of Beverly Mullins
• Jordan Mullins, age 8 – committee artist and niece of Beverly Mullins

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this effort through time, love, prayers and donations over the past 7 years, we are honored to have such a passionate group of supporters helping us to live our dream of helping others.

– Dianna Mullins
Co-founder, The Beverly Mullins Memorial Scholarship