Cal State San Bernardino has announced a $20,000 gift from Sheila and Jack Clarke Jr. to establish an endowed scholarship fund to support CSUSB students who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and underserved communities.

The Sheila and Jack Clarke Jr. Scholarship Endowment will be used to support education-related expenses for full-time students who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and community through involvement in diverse student and community organizations, with preference for students who are the first in their family to attend college and have financial need. One scholarship will be awarded each year and can be renewed until graduation.

“This gift from Sheila and Jack Clarke will have an enormous impact on our students, and we are extremely grateful for their generosity,” said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales. “The Clarkes have created a lasting legacy to ensure the academic success of CSUSB’s students far into the future.”

Jack B. Clarke Jr., an attorney and human and civil rights advocate, has been a member of the California State University Board of Trustees since 2020 and serves as vice chair. He is a partner in Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo’s Student Services and Disabilities Practice Group, where he handles matters concerning education law, special education disputes and public agency litigation. He has been celebrated by the Riverside County Bar Association, California Business Law magazine, the NAACP and the American Diabetes Association. Clarke was the first African American to chair the Board of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, and he served as chair of the Mayor’s Use-of-Force Review Panel in 1999 following the high-profile and tragic police shooting death of Tyisha Miller in Riverside.

Sheila Clarke serves as a registered dietitian and nutritionist at Riverside Medical Clinic. In this role, she encourages her patients to make small lifestyle choices involving diet and exercise to help achieve their overall health goals. The Clarkes have been married for more than 30 years and have two adult children, Jack and Chynna. The couple’s donation represents the realization of Sheila Clarke's vision to offer greater educational opportunities for first-generation college students.

The scholarship endowment will be administered by the director of CSUSB’s Pan-African Student Success Center within the Division of Student Affairs.

For more information about supporting CSUSB, visit the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation.