UCLA Engineering: UCLA Engineer Magazine

New Scholarships Honor Alumni, Inspire and Support Current Students

UCLA engineering students will benefit from three endowed scholarships established in the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science by the families and friends of past alumni and faculty.

The Tom T. Tang Endowed Scholarship supports junior and senior electrical engineering students, and the Kalpesh Vardhan Engineering Scholarship and George Andrew Zizicas Memorial Scholarship are open to all engineering students at UCLA.

“We are incredibly moved by the generosity of our alumni’s families,” said Vijay K. Dhir, dean of the School. “These scholarships represent a tremendous legacy that will honor not only our alumni, but also the students who are selected to receive these scholarships.”

Tom T. Tang BS ’57, MS ’60

The Tang scholarship was funded by family and friends of alumnus Tom T. Tang, who received his BS in ’57 and MS in ’60. Tang passed away in 2002 after a long and successful career as an innovator in the computer industry.

“Since our Dad worked so hard to put himself through school and cherished his UCLA education, our family wanted to establish this scholarship to help other students earn an engineering degree at UCLA,” explained daughter Allison Chen.

While at NCR Corporation, Tang served as the chief designer and lead manager of the Century 300, the company's first mainframe class system. He also led the development of the 8500 Systems, the company's most profitable computer line. As Vice President of Research and Development, Tang helped ensure that NCR maintained a leading state-of-the-art technology and architecture position in the industry.

Prior to his retirement, he served as Vice President of Computer Products & Systems Group for AT&T. He received the Laureate Emeritus Award in recognition of significant accomplishments and achievements during his 38 year career at NCR/AT&T.

Ashraf El Naga, a senior in electrical engineering, is the first recipient of the Tom T. Tang Scholarship.

Kalpesh Vardhan BS ‘92

The Kalpesh Vardhan Engineering Scholarship was established by the family of Kalpesh Vardhan to honor his memory. Vardhan received his BS in electrical engineering in ’92.

The recipients of the Kalpesh Vardhan Engineering Scholarship will be chosen through applicant essays on what they plan to do with their engineering degree. The scholarship is open to all engineering students, regardless of major or class year.

“Engineering is fundamentally broad-based - all kinds of engineers working together are needed to address challenges in society, and we wanted to recognize that with this scholarship,” said Sandeep Vardhan, Kalpesh’s brother. “We established this scholarship to help ensure that no one falls through the cracks. Someone who has to work to pay for school may not be able to focus on academics full time, but he or she is still bright enough to achieve great things.”

“It is quite fitting that Kalpesh Vardhan's memory is perpetuated through the establishment of a scholarship in his name,” said electrical engineering professor Chand Viswanathan. “He was an outstanding electrical engineering student and very much interested in many other engineering fields. This scholarship will go a long way in recognizing, rewarding, and encouraging young and ambitious students.”

The George Andrew Zizicas Memorial Scholarship was established through a bequest from Harriet J. Zizicas. Before his death in 1966, George Zizicas PhD ’52 was an associate professor of engineering at UCLA and well known for his research in the mechanics of deformable solids and exceptional teaching abilities. In 1956, the undergraduate engineering students selected him as the most stimulating teacher in the College of Engineering.

Endowed scholarships are a key part of the School’s Enhancing Engineering Excellence initiative, which hopes to raise funds for 100 new scholarships. Such undergraduate scholarships preserve the traditions of diversity, affordability, and access that are the hallmarks of UCLA Engineering.

- Marlys Amundson