Kathryn Barr Kirtley

Upon graduating from SCC In 1968, I received a Soroptimist Scholarship. This scholarship paid for my books during the next two years at UC Berkeley and helped reduce the need for outside work. I have never forgotten the kindness of this women’s organization who both encouraged and raised money to help young women become successful.

I established the Barr Family Scholarship in 1992 while working as a research scientist for IBM, and over the years, IBM has helped support this scholarship through their matching grants program. In thinking back to why I established these scholarships, the following come to mind.
The scholarships are
- In appreciation for the outstanding teaching my younger silbings and I all received at SCC
- In honor of our parents, Roger and Ruth Barr, both of whom loved learning and the natural world
- In recognition of the fact that it is still difficult to be a woman in science -and that support and encouragement can go a long way.