Mt. SAC Announces Largest Gift in College History

On Sept. 12, we, the Mt. San Antonio College Foundation and Alumni Association, announced a $3 million gift from the estate of Diana Berger. This is the largest gift in the history of the College. The announcement was made at a campus reception to honor Mrs. Berger before a group of campus leaders, faculty and staff, Foundation Board members, donors, and community members. Berger’s gift is designated to the Arts Division and will be used to support students in the Visual Arts and Theater programs at Mt. SAC.

“We are thrilled and humbled by this generous gift,” said Dr. Sue Long, Dean of the Arts Division. “This gift will touch every student in these programs for generations to come.”

Mrs. Berger was a businesswoman, a philanthropist, and an artist. She was preceded in death by her husband Gerry. The Bergers made their living in Bellevue, Washington where Diana started a beautician business and Gerry founded his company, Northwest Hydraline. In retirement, Diana lived in the Los Angeles area, and her love and appreciation for the arts led her to Mt. SAC.

This gift will have a transformative impact on the arts at Mt. SAC. The college will use the funds to create an endowment for the Visual Arts and Theater programs in the Arts Division. Future generations of arts students will benefit from the scholarships, on-campus paid work experience, and other opportunities this gift will provide.

“Diana Berger understood the impact Mt. SAC has on the lives of our students,” said Mt. SAC President and CEO, Dr. Bill Scroggins, "and now she will forever impact Mt. SAC with her amazing act of kindness."

In memory of Mrs. Berger and to honor her commitment, the College has plans to rename the art gallery the Diana Berger Gallery at Mt. San Antonio College. The Division will also use the Berger endowment to support the annual student art show where students across disciplines put their creativity on display. It will also create a Visiting Artist program that will bring in artists from California and across the country to share their work, knowledge, and experiences with students and the entire Mt. SAC community.

"Diana's reach will extend beyond Mt. San Antonio College. Whether it’s California or another CC across the country, every time one of our institutions receives a gift like this, it sends a message loud and clear that Community Colleges are a destination for this type of legacy giving," said Bill Lambert, Executive Director of the Mt. SAC Foundation.