Home > News > UCLA Department of Music Receives $50,000 to Establish Ruth Denas Wolcott Scholarship Fund

UCLA Department of Music Receives $50,000 to Establish Ruth Denas Wolcott Scholarship Fund

Carolyn Campbell (ccampbel@arts.ucla.edu) (310) 825-6540
For Immediate Use Friday, January 08, 1999.

The Department of Music in the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture has received a gift of $50,000 from Robert B. Wolcott, Jr. to establish the Ruth Denas Wolcott Endowed Scholarship in Music Performance. This memorial gift was announced by Daniel Neuman, Dean of the School.

The late Ruth Denas Wolcott was an accomplished musician who spent many years helping underprivileged children. She began her career as a child performer playing the piano and accordion, and later performed in nightclubs as a musician and vocalist. During World War II, she toured with Bob Hope to entertain the troops in Europe, and toured Africa, India, China and Burma with movie star Ann Sheridan. She also appeared on daytime shows on KABC and KTLA.

After her marriage to Wolcott, she retired from show business to raise her family. She became very active in the Assistance League of California and devoted time to helping disadvantaged children. "Combining Ruth's love of music with her love for kids in a scholarship program seemed like a wonderful way to carry on her name," said Wolcott, a Glendale businessman.

A 1942 graduate of UCLA, Robert Wolcott served on the executive council of the UCLA Alumni Association and was one of the founders of the Bruin Bench. He is a former chair of the UCLA Medical Center and served on its board for 20 years.

The endowment will be used to assist deserving students who display promise in music and demonstrate financial need. "Bob Wolcott's generosity will enable us to provide music students with an exceptional education and will contribute to the Department of Music's emergence as one of the fast-rising music programs in the nation," said Neuman.

Gifts may be made in support of the Ruth Denas Wolcott Endowed Scholarship in Music Performance by sending a check payable to the UCLA Foundation to the attention of Laura Parker, UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, P.O. Box 951427, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1427, or by calling 310-825-2512.


Contact: Carolyn Campbell
Phone: (310) 825-6540
Email: ccampbel@arts.ucla.edu