Portland Chinese Scholarship Foundation Committee (photo circa 1965)
Top row: James Wong, Dr. Sam B. Liu, Raymond Chang, Robert Saiget, Bruce Wong
Middle row: Leonard Lee, James Lee, Eugene Lee, Frank Leong, Harold Lee, Leland Chin
Bottom Row: Isabella Low, Jean Cheung, Pearl Wong, Dr. Y. T. Lam, Marian Chinn
Mission: The mission of the Portland Chinese Scholarship Foundation is to honor all Oregon high school graduates of Chinese ancestry and to provide those qualified students with scholarships in their pursuit of higher education.
Background: In 1963, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) established the Portland Scholarship Program and its Scholarship Committee raised $6500 from local Chinese businesses and individuals. The scholarship donations were designated for $100 awards to graduating high school seniors with all-around achievements. The first CCBA scholastic achievement awards were presented to five students in 1964.
In 1965, the Portland Chinese Scholarship Foundation (PCSF) was formally established as an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and continues the tradition of presenting scholastic awards. In 1990, the Scholarship Foundation started awarding endowment scholarships.
The tradition continues: The scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, community service, leadership activities, cultural activities, financial need, and/or athletic participation. In the 2024 graduating class, the Foundation presented 29 endowment scholarships for a total of $27,700. In total since 1963, over $700,000 in scholarships and scholastic awards have now been granted.