Maurine Halperin firmly believes that opportunity is a founding premise of our nation, and education should go hand in hand with that.
That’s why the Occidental trustee and parent says she and her husband, Phil, have invested so generously in the Obama Scholars program. Providing scholarship support and opportunities for students facing barriers to educational access is germane to the mission of the program and the beliefs of the Halperin family.
One of the couple’s three children, Sara Ruth, graduated from Oxy in 2016 with a goal to work in the music industry, and thanks to the College’s strong alumni network and her own drive and persistence, she has done exactly that. Because of the Halperin family’s generosity, more students will be able to realize their dreams—or discover new ones—at Oxy.
“Education is the ultimate social justice issue,” says Maurine. “If we can provide people with the education to go out in the world, take care of themselves and make a difference, we are helping to level the playing field and create opportunity in our country. That’s something I think we can all agree is important.”
The Halperins have long been committed to and both work in K-12 education. In addition to the Obama Scholars program, the couple has supported Occidental through the Oxy Fund, their own scholarships and a gift to help fund the Hameetman Career Center.