Gala Provides Dozens of Needed Scholarships
More than 200 Gather for Evening of Giving that Celebrates Students
Touro University California hosted its signature fundraising event Aug. 27, raising nearly $200,000 to support student scholarships under the Big Top.
But the 10th Annual Mosaic Gala is far from a circus. Rather, it’s a celebration of community as students, alumni, faculty, staff, and partner organizations come together to raise much-needed money to support students attending TUC’s eight programs across three Colleges.
Mosaic Scholars Shine as Focus of Gala
The focus of each year’s Mosaic Gala is student scholarships.
Money that’s raised is divided between the three TUC Colleges: The College of Osteopathic Medicine, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Pharmacy. Each College designates its respective scholarship recipients.
Two major scholarships were announced at this year’s Gala:
- Christine Woodlief was named the NorthBay Health Primary Care Scholar and was awarded $10,000. Woodlief is working toward her Master of Science in Nursing degree in the School of Nursing.
- Beatrice Ojekunle received the $10,000 Kaiser Permanente Health Equity Scholarship. Ojekunle is a Dual Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine/Master of Public Health candidate.
Auctions, Hors d’oeuvres, Warm Remarks Greet Guests
More than 200 guests gathered on campus for an elegant reception in the Farragut Inn that featured assorted hors d’ouevres and sparkling wine.
Silent auction items – 43 in all with a blend of experiences, games, and handcrafted jewelry – were on display as guests mingled and placed their bids.
Those in attendance soon moved outside to a large white tent illuminated by warm lighting for the dinner, award presentations, and a live auction with 10 items up for grabs. Auctioneer Vince Morrow reprised his role from 2025 and coaxed and cajoled guests to great success.
Dr. Tami Hendriksz, Campus Provost and Chief Academic Officer as well as Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, welcomed everyone and served as emcee for the evening’s festivities.
Dr. Alan Kadish, Touro University System President, shared his educational vision for the Vallejo campus and the overarching Touro system, along with warm remarks about the support TUC receives from members of the community as well as numerous partner agencies and organizations.
Shelley Berkley, Mayor of Las Vegas and former Senior Provost and CEO overseeing the TUC and Touro University Nevada campuses, was presented the Mosaic Achievement Award in recognition of her service to the Vallejo campus and community as well as her ongoing support of the Mosaic Gala.
Campus Rabbi Elchonon Tenenbaum returned to offer curated wine pairings for each course of the meal. The pairings were a hit last year and are now well on their way to becoming a beloved Gala tradition.
Community Sponsors Help to Make Gala a Success
This year’s Gala featured a first-ever $25,000 Anchor Sponsor: NorthBay Health.
Mark Behl, President and CEO of NorthBay Health, said the Mosaic Scholarship is important not only for student scholars, but for the communities they will one day serve. He spoke of the partnership between NorthBay and Touro that dates back years, with TUC serving as a workforce development pipeline for health professionals here in Solano County.
“Healthcare is one of those professions that’s so important for a community. It’s the fabric of the community. It strengthens. It’s one of the greatest assets we have is to be able to take care of other people,” Behl said. “And these are potentially future professionals who are going to one day maybe save somebody’s life, or maybe they’re going to take a shift on Christmas Eve, which means they’re not going to spend time with their family to take care of somebody else’s family.”
Behl said the Mosaic Scholarship helps ensure that some of the barriers to pursue health-based professions are removed. “And that’s really what this is about,” he said.
“This is not just about investing in a program or scholarship. It’s investing in that person, someone who has a dream that otherwise may not be able to pursue it,” Behl said. “We want to help in any way possible to see them be able to do that and pursue it and see them blossom and take care of the community.”
The Mosaic Gala, which started in 2017, has to date raised approximately $1.65 million with 220 students earning Mosaic Scholarships.