By Kendra Pintor
Scripps College has received a transformative $5.2 million gift from Carolyn Lake ’54 to support the highly anticipated Centennial Plaza Project. Made through the Carolyn Lake Claremont Foundation, the gift will help join the College’s historic and modern spaces into a vibrant campus corridor, serving as a hub for academic, artistic, and community engagement.
“Carolyn cherished the peaceful grounds and beautiful botanicals of Scripps. They inspired the landscaping she supported at Balboa Park in San Diego and even the plants at her own home,” says Diane Strong, President of the Foundation. “Her passion for campus beautification and enhancement can be traced back to her early years at Scripps, and she wanted future generations of students to experience that same serenity and creativity.”
The Centennial Plaza Project is a key element in Scripps College’s ongoing mission to enhance its campus and resources. The project will feature a new state-of-the-art dance center, a reconfiguration of the E. 10th Street property, and the creation of collaborative spaces designed to foster learning, creativity, and community interaction. The plaza will also connect key facilities such as the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Garrison Theater, and the Performing Arts Center.
“After a thoughtful presentation and campus tour by President Amy Marcus-Newhall and her team, we felt this project embodied Carolyn’s passion for enhancing the natural beauty and function of Scripps’ campus. It felt like a natural choice for the Foundation to commit to this initiative,” Strong says.
This generous gift from Carolyn Lake, a longstanding supporter of the College, will catalyze the plaza’s construction phase. Its completion, expected during the 2026-27 academic year, coincides with Scripps College’s 100th anniversary, marking a momentous milestone for the institution.
“The addition of the Centennial Plaza Project will unify Scripps College’s ‘arts district,’ creating a walkable outdoor corridor,” says Marcus-Newhall. “We are deeply grateful to the Carolyn Lake Claremont Foundation for this extraordinary gift, which will bring our vision to life.”
Read President Amy Marcus-Newhall’s announcement here to learn more about the Centennial Plaza Project.