Hollywood legend Carol Burnett has made two extraordinary gifts to her alma mater UCLA that will inspire generations of performers to come. The 92 year old icon donated more than 140 awards accumulated over her seven decade career, including seven Emmys, six Golden Globes, a Grammy, a Tony Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and countless other honors that will now be displayed in UCLA’s Freud Playhouse lobby. Beyond the awards, Burnett also endowed the Carol Burnett Scholarship in Musical Theater to support high potential undergraduate students in the Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program with substantial funds to offset tuition and fees.
The first recipient is Alexa Cruz, a first year theater major who has performed songs closely tied to Burnett’s legendary roles including Little Girls from Annie and Shy from Once Upon A Mattress. Burnett found her true passion at UCLA after enrolling fresh out of high school, and her scholarship aims to give students the same opportunity that transformed her life. The beloved entertainer said she hopes the scholarship will help students discover their passion just as UCLA helped her find hers so many years ago. This generous gift ensures that Burnett’s legacy of creating new paths and forms within the entertainment industry will continue inspiring bold and tenacious students for many years to come.
