Quick Takes
Favorite Music:
I love jazz and R&B of my time. Earth, Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder are two of my favorites.

Favorite Study Spot:
The old medical library, or all nighters in my dorm room.

Favorite Professors:
Biologist Paul D. Saltman, former provost of Revelle College, and Willie C. Brown, professor emeritus of Biological Sciences

What’s Next?
As a biochemistry student at UC San Diego in the early ’70s, Tony Jackson struggled to pay his way through his undergraduate years and through medical school at UC Irvine.

Today, Jackson is a busy emergency room physician at Memorial Hospital of Gardena in Los Angeles. But, in spite of his hectic schedule and because of his struggle in financing his own educatio, Jackson spends his free time working to improve student opportunities and inspiring others to fund scholarships at UCSD. With the rising cost of higher education and increased competition for scholarships, a growing number of UCSD students will have to work their way through school.

As a scholarship donor and member of the UC San Diego Undergraduate Scholarship Council, Jackson’s goal is to increase the amount of financial support available to undergraduates, making a college degree at UCSD a reality for more deserving students. He also attends high school fairs around Southern California touting the University’s educational programs and opportunities.

Recently, Jackson played a supporting role in another UC San Diego effort—“The Campaign for UCSD Milestone Video”— in which he shared on camera the impact private support has on students, faculty and the campus. See Tony Jackson in the campaign video by visiting www.giving.ucsd.edu.

How did UC San Diego influence your career?
During my first week of classes, I unfortunately saw a monk set himself on fire in protest of the Vietnam War. I remember thinking to myself, “How could anyone be so committed to a cause?” I still reflect on this when I examine my own commitments and values.

Why support student scholarships at UC San Diego?
I want to help young people attain a higher education, so they can find their own passions. This is why I joined the Undergraduate Scholarship Council, which provides community leaders and alumni the opportunity to support academically outstanding students through scholarship funding.

Why do you volunteer so much time with our next generation?
Our job is to steward this planet. If we do not take the time to educate and guide our children, our job is left unfulfilled. I feel confident that with proper mentoring, UCSD students will find real solutions to the problems facing our planet. Besides, it is so refreshing to interact with students when they are at a critical point in their lives.

What’s next?
I am working with UCSD’s Office of Admissions and Relations to help inform deserving students that college is a real option for them. Several times a year, we will bring groups of students to visit the campus and meet with professors to open their eyes to the opportunities available to them at UC San Diego.