Retired public school teacher leaves UCLA a $4.2 million estate gift to support students – Newsroom | UCLA
Although she never attended UCLA, Gertrude Pomish lived and breathed its mission of public education.
When she died at the age of 101 last January, the number of students whose lives she had touched was incalculable — both as a Los Angeles public school teacher for more than 50 years and through her decades of support for UCLA undergraduates through a scholarship she established in her name.
“Having come from modest roots herself, Gertrude wanted to give as many kids the opportunity to achieve their dreams as she could,” said Anthony Kornarens, an attorney and friend of Pomish. “She wanted to leave a legacy of people who were able to think for themselves, who made their decisions based on a strong education and strong character, and who would go on to contribute to society in their own unique ways.”
Born in 1922 to Eastern European parents, Pomish grew up in Michigan before moving to Los Angeles. Always independent, she carefully saved the income she made as an elementary, middle and high school teacher and cannily invested it so that, in her retirement, she was in an impressive financial position — and determined to pay every bit of it forward.
“Her great focus — her great joy — was always in educating young people,” said Kornarens. “We’d be sitting in her home and she would say, look around you: Everything I have is all for the children.”
To fulfill her wishes that her estate would further support UCLA students — especially those with a financial need who also participated in community service — Pomish asked Kornarens to become her successor trustee and carry on her relationship with UCLA.
This included a recent $4.2 million estate gift to supplement the existing Gertrude T. Pomish Scholarship Fund. The additional gift will enable the fund to exponentially increase the number of recipients, as well as the financial award allotted to each one.
“It’s awe-inspiring to think of how thoughtfully and carefully Gertrude Pomish made such an enormous difference throughout her life: classroom by classroom, student by student,” said Adriana Galván, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education. “Her vision aligns perfectly with our division’s, and we are grateful for her generosity and belief in UCLA. It’s exciting that we can now expand the ripple effect she has had on so many students even further.”
Although Kornarens graduated from UCLA in 1982 with a degree in English, he always made it a point to remain professionally impartial and to ensure that Pomish’s wishes were carried out as she — and only she — wanted. Even so, he was struck by how deeply committed she was to UCLA.
“Gertrude Pomish was a kind, wonderful woman who knew how crucial it was to support public education by supporting UCLA students, which is at the heart of all our work,” said Angela Deaver Campbell, an assistant dean of the division of undergraduate education. “As executive director of the UCLA Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment, I have especially enjoyed administering her scholarship over the years because it honors students who themselves believe and participate in community service. Knowing that we will now have the opportunity to award funding on an even greater scale is inspiring.”
Ever since she established her scholarship in 1998, Pomish delighted in learning about the student recipients and, with a teacher’s diligence, she read, filed and treasured all the letters she received from grateful Bruins.
After she officially made Kornarens her successor trustee, Pomish insisted that he read these letters as well so he could absorb the full impact of why she gave.
“Gertrude didn’t do this for the recognition; she didn’t want her name on buildings. Her heart was wholly in supporting students and motivating other people to do the same,” Kornarens said. “My only hope is that recipients honor her example in their own lives. And if they want to send a letter saying thank you, I may be the one who reads them, but they should address them to Gertrude Pomish.”
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