Two Pasadena City College Student Scholarships Established in Honor of Late Professor

In honor of Pasadena City College professor Christine Bilicki who passed away last December, her sister, Diane Brown, recently donated $100,000 to establish the Christine Bilicki Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Christine Bilicki Achievement Award.

The Christine Bilicki Memorial Scholarship Fund will provide scholarships for students to attend PCC to continue their organic chemistry coursework. The Christine Bilicki Achievement Award will be used to support student attendance at conferences, student internships, and professional development for faculty.

“Christine was a quiet person and I never realized the impact she had on her students until I met several of them,” Brown said. “Christine didn’t just teach. She really cared about her students and wanted them to succeed. She did not give easy grades. She really wanted her students to learn and she stayed in touch with them long after they graduated.”

Professor Bilicki was known among her colleagues for re-vamping the Organic Chemistry Program. She would stay late in the evening to work with students who showed interest and promise in organic chemistry. “She was truly in her element while she was here. She loved music and we could sometimes hear her singing from down the hallway,” said Dave Douglass, dean of the Natural Sciences Division.

A glass etching with Bilicki’s picture will be permanently displayed in the Natural Sciences Division to continue to inspire students for generations to come.

For more information, please call (626) 585-7036.