The Programs
Osher Scholars and Fellows Program
The Osher Scholars and Fellows Program provides scholarship support for students of academic promise and financial need matriculating at colleges and universities principally in Northern California and the State of Maine.
Osher Reentry Scholarship Program
The Osher Reentry Scholarship Program provides scholarship support for students pursuing the first baccalaureate degree after a significant break in their studies. At present, there are 73 universities and colleges in 30 states and the District of Columbia participating in this program.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes Program
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes are found on the campuses of 120 colleges and universities from Maine to Hawaii and Alaska. Each provides a distinctive array of non-credit courses and activities specifically developed for seasoned adults aged 50 or older who are interested in learning for the joy of learning.
Osher Integrative Medicine Programs
There are three integrative medicine programs receiving Osher support. They are found at the University of California, San Francisco; Harvard University; and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The programs feature research, education, and clinical care in integrative medicine, also known as complementary or alternative medicine. The Foundation also supports a career development award program for complementary and alternative medicine practitioners through the National Institutes of Health.
Local Arts and Educational Programs
An array of arts and educational programs in The Greater San Francisco Bay Area (California) and in the State of Maine also receive support from the Foundation. This is the only program within the Foundation that receives unsolicited letters of interest.
Osher Initiative for California Community College Students
This initiative will provide up to $70 million in endowed funds to support scholarship programs dedicated to California's Community College students.
An initial gift of $25 million, along with an additional pledge of $25 million in matching funds, has launched the California Community Colleges Scholarship Endowment.
Further, $20 million has been pledged to University of California and California State University campuses that do not now have Osher-supported scholarships. These funds will establish endowed scholarships for students transferring to those universities from California Community Colleges.
