The William F. Donnelly, S.J. Endowed Scholarship Fund

For decades, the Catala Club, a service organization for women, has supported educational programs and scholarships for students at Santa Clara University. Club members continue to raise funds for the University and currently maintain seven scholarships.

In the early days of the Catala Club, members provided service to the Jesuit Community at SCU caring for vestments, altar linens, and other needs. The club gradually extended its service to the university in keeping with its motto “Service, Support, and Spirituality.” Now, Catala Club members are dedicated to providing financial assistance to Santa Clara University undergraduates.

The approximately 300 members are connected in a variety of ways to the University. Members are alumnae of Santa Clara, relatives of students, wives of SCU alumni, mothers or relatives of Jesuits. The group also includes women benefactors and friends of the University. The Catala Club volunteers organize large fundraisers each year for scholarships, including the William F. Donnelly, S.J. Endowed Scholarship Fund.

This scholarship was established to honor the memory of William F. Donnelly, S.J., a 1949 SCU graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and a former economics professor at SCU. In addition to his many decades in the classroom, Father Donnelly served generously in multiple capacities at Santa Clara University, including Academic Vice President, 1973-1978, Rector of the Jesuit Community at Santa Clara, 1982-1988, member of the Board of Trustees, 1973-1978 and 1982-1988, and Chaplain of the Catala Club from 1993 until his death in 2012.