$5.57 million gift expands LMU opportunities for Downey students

Photo courtesy LMU

Students at St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy are among those eligible to benefit from a new Loyola Marymount University scholarship program backed by a $5.57 million gift from the Marymount Education Foundation.

LMU announced the gift Thursday, establishing the Marymount Scholars Program to help qualified students from six local Catholic high schools attend the university and receive financial assistance, mentorship and other support through graduation.

St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy in Downey is one of the participating schools in the LMU Catholic High School Promise Program, which began in 2025 through a partnership with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

The foundation’s gift, the largest contribution to the Promise Program to date, will support up to 18 new students annually across the six schools. The announcement did not specify how many recipients would come from the Downey campus.

The Marymount Scholars Program guarantees admission and provides comprehensive financial support and resources for qualified high school seniors, according to LMU. It is intended to expand college access for students facing financial and other barriers to attending a four-year institution.

“The Marymount Education Foundation’s generous commitment to LMU underscores how partners with shared values and a bold vision can create pathways to expand access to higher education,” said LMU President Thomas Poon. “This program will transform the lives of more than 70 ambitious and talented Catholic high school students considering LMU as their college home.”

Beyond financial assistance, scholars will have access to faculty mentorship, career and professional development resources, stipends toward study abroad opportunities, and funding for technology, laptops and books.

Students will also receive individual support from foundation mentors throughout their four years in the program, including campus visits and career coaching, along with ongoing progress monitoring.

“MEF is gratified that its support will remove barriers for dozens of local high school students who select LMU as their college of choice,” said Robyn Jones, the foundation’s founding executive director. “Expanding access to higher education and creating pathways to help students achieve lifelong success are key elements of the foundation’s mission.”

The other participating schools are Bishop Conaty–Our Lady of Loretto High School, Bishop Mora Salesian, Cantwell–Sacred Heart of Mary College Prep, Junípero Serra High School and St. Bernard College Prep.

The Promise Program’s first cohort entered LMU at the start of the 2026-27 academic year as members of the university’s Class of 2030.