The USC Mork Family Scholars were hosted by the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies during a weekend-long excursion to Catalina Island from April 12-13, 2014. While there, the students were welcomed by USC Trustee John Mork and his wife, Julie Mork, and USC President C. L. Max Nikias and his wife, Mrs. Niki C. Nikias.
The itinerary included discussions on leadership with John and Julie Mork, and an informal class on classics with President Nikias. Additional excursions included a visit to the plankton lab, nature hikes, and a tour of the island’s hyperbaric chamber.
USC Mork Scholarships are awarded to undergraduates based on academic merit. The scholarships include full tuition and a living stipend of $5,000 annually for four years, as well as guaranteed space in the honors residential college. The USC Mork Family Scholars program was created in 2011 with an exceptional gift of $110 million —the single largest gift in the university’s history for undergraduate scholarships and one of only seven gifts to USC of $100 million or more.