March 7 gala in downtown LA raises funds for the Winston C. Doby Legacy Scholarship, supporting UCLA students’ tuition, housing, books, and success.
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, February 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The UCLA Black Alumni Association (UBAA) will host the biennial Winston C. Doby Legacy Scholarship Gala on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, bringing together alumni and leaders in higher education, philanthropy, business, and public service to support student access and long-term academic success. The gala is a primary fundraiser for the Winston C. Doby Legacy Scholarship, a merit-based program that provides financial support to UCLA undergraduate and graduate students. Proceeds help cover tuition, housing, books, and other academic resources for students navigating financial barriers to higher education at a time when many diversity-focused programs and funding streams are being reduced or eliminated.
Established in 2006 following declines in Black student enrollment after the implementation of Proposition 209, the scholarship has awarded more than $10 million to more than 800 students. At the time of its founding, UCLA enrolled 96 Black freshmen. A decade later, UCLA welcomed the largest Black freshman class in its history. Today, the university enrolls the largest number of Black students in the UC system and one of the nation’s largest Black undergraduate populations outside of a historically Black college or university. “This progress is the result of continued alumni investment and philanthropic partnership, and it must be sustained to ensure opportunity remains within reach,” UBAA President Na’Shaun Neal said. “The gala underscores how targeted funding and community-driven solutions can expand access while strengthening institutional outcomes.”
Mayor Karen Bass will deliver the keynote address. Her remarks will focus on leadership, accountability, and the role institutions play in building equitable pathways to opportunity. The evening will be hosted by UCLA alumnus Chris Spencer, a writer, director, producer, and comedian whose work spans film, television, and live entertainment. Spencer is the co-creator and executive producer of “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and has written for major televised events, including the Primetime Emmy Awards, the BET Awards, the MTV Awards, and the ESPYs.
The 2026 honorees represent excellence across media, athletics, law, health care, and public service. Natasha “Tash” Gray, an executive producer whose credits include “Reasonable Doubt” and “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” will receive the Beverly Robinson Award for Excellence. Olympic medalist and UCLA alumna Jordan Chiles will receive the Florence Griffith Joyner Award. Mandla Kayise, a former UBAA president, will receive the Arthur Ashe Community Service Award. Cheryl M. Lott, an attorney at Buchalter Law Firm, will be named Tom Bradley Alumnus of the Year. Dr. Yolanda Gorman, an associate vice chancellor at UCLA, will receive the Jackie Robinson Trailblazer Award. Dr. La Tanya Hines, an OB-Gyn with Kaiser Permanente, will receive the Ralph Bunche Humanitarian Award. The Elegant Bruinettes, the UCLA sports dance team, will receive the Madie Scholarship Norman Award.
The gala honors the legacy of Dr. Winston C. Doby, a nationally recognized higher education leader who dedicated more than four decades to expanding student access, diversity, and support services at UCLA and across the University of California system. As UCLA vice chancellor for student affairs and later a UC vice president, Doby helped shape admissions outreach, financial aid strategy, K-12 partnerships, and student success programming. He received the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Distinguished Service Award in 2010.
UBAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on alumni engagement, student success, and community partnership. The California Community Foundation administers the Winston C. Doby Legacy Scholarship Fund and supports both undergraduate and graduate students at UCLA. More information about the 2026 Winston C. Doby Legacy Scholarship Gala is available at tinyurl.com/UBAADobyGala2026.
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