Raymond Berner was born in
November 1913, in Chicago, Illinois. He moved west after World War II and retired at
an early age from a career as a quality control inspector for the aircraft/aerospace
industry. After his retirement, Ray and his wife, Margaret, moved to Nevada, where
he spent over 25 years as a resident of Douglas County and Carson City. Ray died March
12, 2004, at the age of ninety.
Ray was always cognizant of the need for higher education, noting he had only attained
a high school education and, therefore, he elected to establish the Raymond H. Berner
Educational Trust following his death. The purpose of the trust is to provide for scholarships
for graduates of Northern Nevada high schools. The scholarships are awarded on a non-discriminatory
basis and provide for up to four years of undergraduate tuition and fees at trade schools,
community colleges and universities throughout the world.
Ray's wish was for each scholarship recipient
not to "pay back" his generosity, but to "pay it forward" by helping
someone else achieve a higher education, making a promise to do so as a Berner Scholar.
The Berner Scholarship, now it its sixth year, has provided scholarships to 185 students from Northern Nevada high schools.
Here are some thoughts shared with us from previous and current Berner Scholarship recipients:
"Upon graduating, I joined Teach For America, whose mission is to eliminate educational inequality in our country. I am now attending law school. My time at my college inspired me to work to help those who have not been given the same advantages as me, in much the same way that the Berner Scholarship enabled me to attend a school that I would not have been able to afford on my own."
"My fellow recipient and I were able to share in the gratitude we have for what this scholarship has meant for both families. It is really like we both opened up Wonka bars and found golden tickets! I know the only way to repay you is to pay it forward... I am inspired by an organization called To Write Love on Her Arms, which raises awareness about mental health issues and getting people to seek help while sharing the gift of music. My project is at ground level, but I really want to be the change in the way this town understands its locals and their way of life in terms of being surrounded by so much beauty as well as a party culture. I'm really excited about the people I have talked to and ideas that I have for this."
"After I graduated from college, I completed one year of a masters program in Architecture and interned in my home town. While there, I participated in a long-term, sustainable strategic plan for my home town and county. I continue coaching youth sports in addition to assisting with this plan. I also have an account set up with some money that I plan on using to help someone in the future. I will continue to put money into this account until it is large enough to help someone attend college."
"This scholarship has truly been my key to success in college. As a low income, first generation college student from Nevada attending one of the most expensive private schools in this country has been a financial burden to my family. This amazing program has eased my financial struggles. After graduation and down the road, I can confidently say I will be a proud supporter of a program like this and help give other students their key to a successful future."
We have provided scholarships for 185 Northern Nevada students who have attended the following schools:
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Azusa Pacific University 
