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This year’s Scholarship Luncheon featured two Unstoppable Donors and two Unstoppable Scholar recipients, a wonderful way to celebrate the return of this event’s in-person celebration, which past attendees look forward to every spring.

President Ann McElaney-Johnson, PhD, thanked the donors for not allowing a lack of money prevent Mount Saint Mary’s students from pursing their educations. “At the Mount, we have a long tradition of providing a quality education for our students – a transformational experience that prepares them to be brave, ethical, resilient leaders,” she said. “And our scholarship donors help us make this experience a reality.”

This year, the University was able to award 776 scholarships to 400 students totaling $4.5 million in direct aid. Also, five new scholarships were established this past year.  “Our students finance their education through government grants, loans, family support, work, and scholarships from donors like you,” President McElaney-Johnson continued. “Our alumnae know firsthand that this education is transformational, and our graduates will go to be leaders at the forefront of positive social change in their communities and in their industries.“

This year’s Unstoppable Donor recipients were Dolores L. Schiffert ‘60 and Celeste (Diebold) ‘64 and Tom Von Der Ahe. Schiffert, who majored in math and minored in physics and art, was open to every opportunity as a student, noting that the Mount gave students free rein to pursue their interests. As a young woman growing up in humble means, raised by working-class parents who didn’t graduate from high school, Schiffert is a testament to the power of education, tenacity and community.

She attended the Mount on a scholarship before pursuing a career as a teacher. Her time at Mount Saint Mary’s set the tone for the rest of her life. “Ever since then, if I had dreams, I followed them!” she said. In addition to the scholarship, Schiffert has made substantial gifts toward the Center for the Advancement of Women and the Mount Makerspace.

Celeste (Diebold) Von Der Ahe ’64 majored in music. Her husband’s aunt, Dorothy Von Der Ahe, attended Mount Saint Mary’s and was the first Alumnae Association President from 1929-‘31. After she graduated, she became a scholarship donor, and Tom and Celeste continue this tradition today through their foundation.

The Von Der Ahe family has a rich history in Los Angeles, with Dorothy’s father founding what became the Von’s grocery store chain in 1906. The Von Der Ahe Foundation, in addition to its generous donations to the students of Mount Saint Mary’s, supports education, health and welfare services, continuing the tradition of caring established by the family’s founders.

The Von Der Ahes hope that students who receive their scholarships are able to enhance their studies as they continue their education at the Mount and that, in the future, the students will also give back to their communities and the world as a whole whenever possible.

The three were happy to attend the gathering but, aside from accepting their awards from President Ann McElaney-Johnson, PhD, and having their photo taken with her and the Unstoppable Scholar recipients, deflected all official acknowledgement away from themselves and directed it to the students.

Unstoppable Scholar Hannah Awbrey ’23, an English major, was thrilled to meet Celeste and Tom Von Der Ahe at the event. “They were so welcoming and easy to talk to,” she says. “Mrs. Von Der Ahe and I talked about our experiences as students, and it was interesting to see what had and had not changed since she graduated from the Mount. I hope I was able to accurately express how thankful I am for their support.

“I absolutely would not be able to attend the Mount without the scholarships I have received, so their contribution means the world to me. I believe that education is one of the most powerful tools for positive societal change, and I plan to use my education to pass on that gift to others as a teacher. Their generosity has made it possible for me to achieve my dreams and give back to my community.”

Dalilah Valencia ’23, a math major, is the other Unstoppable Scholar recipient. “Coming from a low-income, single teen parent household has been a challenge, financially and emotionally,” she says. “The scholarships have truly helped. A massive weight has been lifted and I cannot show my thanks enough.”

The two Unstoppable Scholars possess similar poise, drive and resilience, but have reached their heights in different ways. They are a great example that there is no one right way to achieve success, only a right way for each person. (Learn more about each of them by reading their profiles in the newsroom at msmu.edu/newsroom.)

After a number of heartfelt thank yous to mentors from among the faculty and administration, Valencia’s voice broke as she made eye contact with her mother. “I've mentioned how the Mount community has supported, challenged and empowered me to be the person I am today,” she says. “But none of this could have happened without the help of one specific person -- my mom. She raised me on her own. I am unstoppable because of her and the sacrifices she has made for me. I thank her for all the healthy habits she instilled in me and her continuous support for everything I do. Nobody will ever be able to take her place.”

Her mother couldn’t disguise her surprise — or hold back some tears. Valencia later shared that she had practiced the rest of her speech in front of her mother numerous times but never included that final thank you, so her mother was definitely caught off guard.

Following the award presentation, there was a discussion centered on the community-operated Makerspace, a workspace with materials and tools where people imagine and create. Sylvine Deprele, PhD, professor of physical science and project director of the W. M. Keck Foundation Makerspace grant, provided an overview then directed a Q&A session with two students, Katie Novoa ’25 and JaiLina Reyes ’24, who described their experiences using the Makerspace in their coursework and beyond.

“The luncheon was a great experience, and I want to come back as an alumna,” says Valencia. “Because people’s generosity was critical to my academic career, I want to be a donor too and pay it back.”

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This year’s Unstoppable Scholar award recipients extend their gratitude to all scholarship donors for helping them and their fellow students achieve their dreams, but particularly to the following for their support:

Hannah Awbrey: Michael and Carol Enright Endowed Scholarship, Sister Celestine Quinn Endowed Scholarship, and the Von Der Ahe Foundation Endowed Scholarship

Dalilah Valencia: Los Angeles Philanthropic Foundation Scholarship, Judy Kelly Page Global Fund, Dolores L. Schiffert Expendable Scholarship, Dorothy Con Der Ahe Endowed Scholarship