HISTORY
2015
The first scholarship endowment created at UCLA by the cast and crew of a television series, The Big Bang Theory Scholarship Endowment raised more than $4 million, with an initial donation from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation and gifts from nearly 50 people associated with the show, including stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, UCLA alumna Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch; executive producers Bill Prady and Steven Molaro; and members of the crew. Warner Bros. Television, CBS and other corporate partners also contributed. For the 2015–16 academic year, 15 Big Bang Theory Scholars were selected to receive financial assistance.
2016
In its second year of supporting low-income students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, The Big Bang Theory Scholarship welcomed even more recipients. To celebrate, Chuck Lorre and the cast and crew held an on-set celebration for the new The Big Bang Theory Scholars, including gifting them with new iPads.
2016
2019
With more than 35 students having received The Big Bang Theory Scholarship thus far, Chuck Lorre announced that, going forward, they would support one extra student each year until reaching an annual total of 10 — double the initial five that had been planned. Thanks to the $5.5 million raised by the show, the endowment will also support The Big Bang Theory Scholars who pursue a University of California graduate degree. Between 2015–19, each incoming class of The Big Bang Theory Scholars visited the show’s set at Warner Bros. studio in Burbank at least once a year. Scholars also received iPads and were able to participate in an on-campus club as well as its show-supported events, from study nights and beach clean-ups to tours of SpaceX and Northrop Grumman.
2024
A $24.5 million pledge from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation increased the existing endowment for The Big Bang Theory Scholarships at UCLA and funded a new program with comprehensive “wraparound” leadership development and academic services and resources for scholarship recipients. The UCLA Chuck Lorre Scholars Program will offer four years of scholarship, mentorship and other support services beginning the summer before freshman year, as well as opportunities for graduate school funding through The Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship. The gift doubled the amount of undergraduate scholarship recipients with financial need to 80 each year and will transform leadership in STEM fields through greater inclusivity.
2024