The ATO Foundation of Berkeley is an educational foundation having its roots in a memorial scholarship fund organized over fifty years ago. In 1948, family and friends presented endowments for the following members of the California Gamma Iota Chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. These men gave their lives in the defense of their country during World War II:
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Frank Shackelford Boggs 1937
James Clyde Brokaw 1940
Herrick Ames Conners 1941
Harry Chalmers Lieb 1941
Leonard Lewis Dechant 1942
George Arthur Misch 1942
Robert Darrell Cummins 1943
Robert Wayne Harrold 1943
Richard Burr Ware 1943
An endowment in the memory of William Ludlow, killed during the Korean War, was added to this scholarship in 1955.
During the period from inception and until the middle of the 1960s, the outstanding scholars and exceptional Greek leaders on the Cal Campus earned awards for their achievements. These awards were paid out of income generated by this memorial scholarship fund.
On March 20, 1964, the ATO Foundation of Berkeley was established as a tax-exempt educational foundation. For about two years thereafter, merits in scholarship continued to be awarded by the foundation. However, hard times arrived during the mid 1960s and the income of the Foundation was deferred. Unfortunately, the Foundation was unable to give annual awards during this period.
In 1983, a substantial endowment and guaranteed income stream enabled the Foundation to re-establish the award. Scholarships are awarded annually to undergraduate members of recognized fraternity and sorority groups on the Berkeley campus of the University of California.