Students at Claremont McKenna College will host the Second Annual Fall Fest at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1 in Gould Plaza, with proceeds from ticket sales benefiting the Atul Vyas Scholarship Fund created by Uncommon Good, a nonprofit organization offering underprivileged children access to quality education, health-care, and legal services.
Vyas, a senior and a member of the Claremont McKenna College Class of 2009, died in a train crash on Sept. 12 in Chatsworth, Calif. The Atul Vyas Scholarship Fund honors the commitment Vyas had to education, as well as his genuine love for learning. The scholarship helps fund Uncommon Good's Clinic to College mentoring program, providing low-income children and youth the tools to obtain a college education, including SAT prep courses and college-prep classes for high school students.
Clinic to College also provides families of participants with housing and employment resources when issues arise.
Vyas, an Uncommon Good mentor for three years, was recently remembered by his 12-year-old mentee: "I know that Atul is in a good place and he will always be looking down on me," the boy wrote. "I will keep my promise to him of being the first in my family to graduate from college. I will miss my mentor and friend very much."
For advance Fest tickets, contact Rafael Elizalde, co-chair of Sigma Theta Chi: 951-233-0635, or relizalde09@claremontmckenna.edu. Pre-sale tickets are $8, and $10 at the door.
The day includes food as well as music provided by El Mariachi Serrano de Claremont.
Donations to the Atul Vyas Scholarship may also be made online: www.uncommongood.org, or mailed to the attention of Michael Peel, Development Director, 435 Berkeley Ave., Claremont, CA, 91711.
Additional donations will be accepted at the event's Uncommon Good booth.
Camilo Cuellar '09