“Living a bold and courageous life will inherently expose us to rejection and vulnerability.” As the opening line in Senior Sage Bischof’s speech, this quote served as a reflection as Bischof presented the 2026 Class Gift of $200,150.60 to the Endowed Alumni Scholarship Fund.
During her years at Berkeley, Bischof served as Co-President of the Community Service Council, mentor for Berkeley Academy, Head Physics Tutor, President of Academia Research Collective, Writing Center tutor, Berkeley Guide, Vice President of Red Cross Club, as well as a player for both the Varsity and JV Soccer teams.
“Berkeley has shown us that every individual in our class is unstoppable and SHOULD live boldly and courageously because we’ve learned that every setback only makes us stronger,” Bischof said in an interview.
A key inspiration for Bischof’s speech was the idea of failure and how people grow from it. Originally, when she heard the quote, the idea of college acceptance came to her mind, but later, as she reflected upon its meaning, she said, “how applicable it was to every aspect of our class’s life… We’ve been given the freedom to dream, which in itself is such a gift. Even if the outcome isn’t always what we wanted or expected, we are shaped by how we spend our time, the risks we take, and how we keep getting back up, no matter how hard we fall.”
The Endowed Alumni Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to students who need financial assistance in attending Berkeley. By donating to this fund, the Class of 2026 helps open doors for students who might not have been able to attend Berkeley without this financial aid.
The Class of 2026’s Gift of $200,150.60 to the Endowed Alumni Scholarship Fund shows their dedication to not only their school but to the importance of education and the assistance of future members of the Berkeley community. As Bischof said, “Recognizing how transformative Berkeley has been for everyone who passes through made presenting our Class Gift even more meaningful, because it will allow other students to undergo their own Berkeley journeys.” With this impactful gift, the Class of 2026 steps into the next chapter of their lives with a sense of accomplishment that they’ve made a true difference in Berkeley’s future.
To read Bischof’s speech, click here.
To read the full interview, click here.
