ARCS Scholars, back row left to right: Luis Caldera (PhD Candidate); Yuriko Kishi (PhD Candidate); Juan Renteria (Class of '25); front row left to right: Sean Zheng (Class of '25); Jason Lin (Class of '25); Sophia Adams (Class of '26); Credit: John Solano

In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. Modest in design by today’s standards, Sputnik only transmitted radio signals for three weeks before its batteries ran out, and the satellite fell out of orbit two months later. However, its launch heralded the arrival of the Space Age—and led to one of Caltech’s most impactful and enduring partnerships.

The success of Sputnik alarmed many Americans about the possibility of the United States falling behind in the dawning Space Race. They included four women from Los Angeles—Florence Malouf, Irene Slagel, Alice Tyler, and Helene Wooldridge—who approached then-Caltech president Lee A. DuBridge to discuss how to ensure the country’s scientific and technological competitiveness. Based in part on his advice, they founded ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation to raise money for US citizens studying science, engineering, mathematics, and medical research.

The foundation was incorporated in 1958 and made its first grant to Caltech, which awarded the support to Joseph Fineman (BS ’58), a physics major. While the geopolitical landscape has changed, the members of ARCS Foundation, which has grown into a national organization, remain committed to advancing American leadership in science and technology by investing in students at Caltech and other universities.

A Growing Legacy

ARCS Scholars, chosen by university partners based on criteria established by the foundation, receive a financial award and join a national network of award recipients. More than 580 Caltech students, including nine in the current academic year, have been named ARCS Scholars since the program’s founding.

Luis Caldera, a graduate student in bioengineering, has been an ARCS Scholar for the past four years. "The support from ARCS Foundation has been invaluable to me as I balance my responsibilities as a researcher, student, father, and husband," he says. He notes that by helping to meet his family’s needs, the awards have allowed him to focus more intently on his research, which is aimed at developing a broad and potent therapeutic that can effectively put an end to the ongoing AIDS pandemic.

Awardees are invited to an annual scholar recognition luncheon, where some of them make presentations about their research. Caldera has found these events inspiring and motivating. "Meeting other scholars and supporters of ARCS Foundation reaffirms my commitment to research and reminds me of the larger community that believes in the importance of advancing scientific knowledge," he says.

Scholars recognized in the ARCS Alumni Hall of Fame include Caltech alumni Ralph B. James (MS ’78, PhD ’81), chief research officer at Savannah River National Laboratory, and Stephen M. Lichten (PhD ’84), chief engineer of the Interplanetary Network Directorate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech manages for NASA. Of the 16 ARCS Alumni Hall of Fame members, four were Caltech ARCS Scholars. They join other notable ARCS Scholar alumni such as Barbara Jacak, PhD, director of the Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Neil deGrasse Tyson, PhD, astrophysicist, author, and director of the Hayden Planetarium; and Jessica Meir, PhD, NASA astronaut and researcher.

In 1992, the foundation also established an endowed scholarship at Caltech in honor of President DuBridge and his wife, Arrola DuBridge. Both were active with ARCS; he was a science advisor, and she was a member. In keeping with President DuBridge’s expressed desire to support and recognize talented undergraduates, the DuBridge ARCS Scholar award has traditionally been granted to a Caltech undergraduate.

"ARCS Foundation, the first foundation to fund scholarships at Caltech, has created an incredible—and growing—legacy here," says Kevin Gilmartin, vice president and Allen V.C. Davis and Lenabelle Davis Leadership Chair of student affairs and the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of English. "We are grateful to the foundation’s members, past and present, for believing in the potential of our students to shape the world for the better."

An Enduring Partnership

ARCS Foundation now comprises 15 chapters located around the United States. The Los Angeles chapter’s leadership includes Diane Deshong, president, and Lynne Brickner, co-vice president for university relations and past president of the chapter and of the national organization. Both speak glowingly about Caltech’s students and are mindful of the long association they help steward. "We are very, very proud of our relationship with Caltech, because it’s our history," Deshong says.

The two women say they think the relationship between ARCS and Caltech has endured, in part, because Caltech possesses qualities one looks for in any partner: dependability, responsiveness, conscientiousness. "It’s a great two-way relationship," Deshong says.

Brickner adds that Caltech has also grown during the partnership in ways the foundation finds compelling. She mentions, for example, Caltech’s expansion into biological engineering and recent emphasis on sustainability.

Recent Highlights—and Hopes for the Future

In 2023, ARCS Foundation celebrated its 65th anniversary. Most recently, the foundation’s awards have contributed to the success of the Initiative for Caltech Students, a fundraising campaign focused on improving every aspect of the student experience.

More milestones may lie ahead—and Brickner has one in mind. For a week and a half in October, she wakes up early in the morning to check the news from Stockholm. "We're hoping that one of our ARCS Scholars becomes a Nobel Prize winner. It hasn’t happened yet, but it will happen soon," she says.