2007-2008 marks our 10th anniversary. We are a national scholarship fund. With 75 scholarships awarded we are very proud to have taken on this task and with the support and help of our community throughout the nation have reached a decade of community service at its best.
1997/1998: After much research and feedback from Iranian-American students at different universities, throughout the United States, it became apparent that there were no permanent scholarships given by a group of Iranians. To recognize the efforts of our young scholars, we began a process of negotiation on our home ground in San Diego, California with the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). Their enthusiasm and assistance was essential in creating the first university scholarships for Iranian-American students supported by the Iranian community. In 1998 the “Mother Fund” at UCSD was established.
Consequently, a Board of Trustees for the Iranian-American Scholarship Fund was formed and this board solicited and raised funds from the community. As a result, the first five scholarships were awarded for the academic year of 1998-99 at UCSD (past recipient list on this site). As proposition 209 was passed, UCSD was no longer legally able to grant scholarships based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. The IASF Board of Trustees had to take action in order to continue providing scholarships to Iranian-American students. On December 17, 2001, funds were transferred from UCSD to the Persian Cultural Center (PCC) a San Diego based non-profit organization, as a trust account. Administration and supervision of this fund remained within the desecration of the Board of Trustees of the Scholarship Fund. In September 2005, IASF became an independent non-profit 501 (c) (3) Fund and separated from PCC with a new Board of Directors.
With the academic year of 2002-03, the scholarships were offered to students attending universities/colleges in San Diego County. In 2004, the Board of Directors approved the three years expansion of the Scholarship Fund as follows:
2005-06 Southern California; 2006-07 State of California; 2007-08 National
Today, we are a national scholarship fund and are extremely proud and enthusiastic of the support we have received from our community throughout the nation for this important cause. It is our hope, individuals, organizations, and companies throughout the country, will join in this important endeavor to help us offer opportunities of scholarships to our young scholars, throughout the nation. Gift donations are fully tax-deductible in accordance with law. IASF is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit fund with Tax ID# 20-2150547.
For further information or to establish a scholarship or contribute to the general fund please contact: iasfund@hotmail.com or Fax/Message to: (619) 374-7335
