Mimi Alpert Feldman is more than a donor. She is a friend and inspiration to her music scholarship recipients. “She encouraged me to keep dreaming,” said Natalia Kartashova, a 2008 and 2011 Mimi Alpert Feldman Scholarship Recipient. “Without her help, my musical journey would have ended.”
Feldman selected her first scholarship recipients in 1977. It was her 50th birthday, and her younger brother, Herb Alpert, set aside funds for her to use to support the organization of her choice. She had studied at UCLA, and decided to give to music. Now, 40 years later, her scholarship has continued to grow with Herb’s and her own contributions, helping more than 80 graduate students complete their degrees and go on to perform on national and international stages, pursue academic positions, or find jobs in the music community.
Antonio Correia Pina and his wife Simone Deleon-Pina were ‘Mimi Scholars’ in 2011 and 2012. The couple had arrived from Boston and were new to the city. “Mimi’s scholarship helped us to stay in music,” said Pina. “We pay it forward to honor her gift to us.” The couple is active with nonprofits across Los Angeles that have donated and purchased musical instruments for 10,000 LAUSD elementary students.
Liliana Filipovic, a 1994 and 1995 ‘Mimi Scholar,’ said Feldman inspired her to give back, and she is now herself a UCLA scholarship donor.
Filipovic, Pina, Kartashova and 17 other current and past ‘Mimi Scholars’ honored Feldman at a luncheon in May to thank her for the 40 years of scholarship gifts she has given.
Herb Alpert and his wife Lani Hall were there to celebrate, too, and to make a new gift of their own to recognize Feldman’s legacy of giving. “Mimi, you are a fantastic sister,” said Alpert. “I’m very touched by all the students’ stories today.” With that, Alpert announced that he was endowing the Mimi Alpert Feldman Scholarship Fund at UCLA, and made a lead gift of $100,000, in recognition of her steadfast commitment to our students. The $100,000 gift will be matched by an additional $50,000 gift from Chancellor Gene Block, as part of the Chancellor’s Centennial Scholars Match.
“I’m speechless,” said Feldman. And then with her characteristic generosity, she added “My greatest gift is to hear from all of you students. You are part of my life now and I want to be your friend and counselor and keep this music thing going.”
To learn more about scholarship support and the Chancellor’s Centennial Scholars Match, please contact us at 310.825.4238 or via email development@schoolofmusic.ucla.edu.