Seventeen years ago, a scholarship was established in the name of the late Rebecca Elizabeth Lytle. Her husband, the noted concert pianist Cecil Lytle, now manages and fundraises for the program. He said the scholarship began with two gifts of $25,000, one from one of Cecil’s children and the other — somewhat bizarrely — from the founder of Costco, Sol Price.
The scholarship was established roughly around the same time as the Preuss School UCSD. The school and the scholarship have been intertwined with each other from the start.
“Connecting the scholarship with the Preuss School seemed a no-brainer, given Rebecca’s lifelong interests in issues concerning equity in education and providing support for youngsters from difficult backgrounds,” Lytle said.
The Cecil Lytle Scholarship Benefit Concert is held each year to sustain the fund. Lytle has consistently headlined the concerts with performances of well-known classical pieces. Even though tickets are generally upwards of $50, but $10 for UCSD students, Lytle is well-enough known in the classical music scene to fill the house every year. This is enough to fund five Lytle Scholarships, which are valued at $2,500 per year each.
Angela Fang
“When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.”
Angela Fang recalls the moment her sister brought life to that age-old saying.
“I remember asking [my sister] what that [saying] even meant, and she told me that when life is harsh on you, when it gives you all sorts of frustrations and sour feelings, you should take that frustration and unhappiness and try to create sweeter, more optimistic feelings,” Fang said.
Coming from a single-parent, low-income household, Fang faced many “lemons” — most significantly, her inability to afford and attend college. But Fang said that particular lemon became lemonade during her senior year at the Preuss School, when she became a recipient of the Lytle Memorial Scholarship.
At the Preuss School, Fang was a violinist in the school’s orchestra for five years, eventually becoming a concertmaster and vice president in her senior year. She was also a violinist for the San Diego Youth Symphony for four years.
In addition to her musical abilities, Fang was in her high school Science Olympiad, Asian Student Union and Japanese Club.
While attending the Preuss School, Fang had to battle the fear of whether or not she could afford a college education.
“As a student coming from a low-income family, I don’t think I would have been able to bear the financial burdens of attending college,” Fang said. “The Lytle Scholarship is beneficial to me in a way that it allows me to focus on my academic career instead of worrying over whether I could afford my education or not.”
Fang is pursuing a career in government and politics by studying political science with an emphasis in public law at UCSD. She dreams of graduating from UCSD, obtaining her law degree and securing a job within the federal government.
Maile Nilsson
Nilsson’s parents immigrated to America from Sweden and Mexico. Nilsson was not only the first in her family to have been born in the United States, but she is also the first in her family to attend college.
At Preuss, Nilsson was involved in a lot of activities. She not only played varsity soccer at Preuss School, but she also participated in a year-round soccer club and was a member of San Diego Surf. Nilsson was also a photo editor of the Preuss newspaper.
Throughout her years at the Preuss School, Nilsson set her sights on having the opportunity to attend UCSD.
“Going to a school on the campus of such a respected university helped me remain focused, because my dream was sitting right there across the street from me,” Nilsson said.
But Nilsson was worried about her ability to bear the financial burdens while attending college.
“I was very concerned about paying tuition,” Nilsson said. “I thought I was going to have to live at home and commute to school, but the Lytle Scholarship helped me offset both tuition and housing costs. I am now living on campus thanks to their generosity.”
Nilsson is now enjoying her first year at UCSD by pursuing a degree in human biology and participating in the women’s intercollegiate soccer team. She hopes to study reproductive endocrinology at the UCSD Medical School upon completing her undergraduate years.
Jasmine Mares
First-year Jasmine Varela Mares, another budding musician, is a third winner of the Lytle Scholarship. “I am the first in my family to attend college, which is a privilege because I have seen my parents, who are both immigrants from Mexico, struggle to raise my sisters and me in order to provide us with everything we need to be successful in school, as they did not have the opportunity to continue their education,” Mares said.
Before attending the Preuss School, Mares said that she had little knowledge of just how much college could help her realize her dreams of pursuing both musical and health-related professions. Although Mares’ major is currently pre-human development, she is considering pursuing a career in the music industry.
Mares is grateful for Dr. Cecil Lytle and the Lytle Scholarship.
“Because of Dr. Cecil Lytle and all of the individuals that helped raise money to pay for part of my college tuition, I am truly thankful and honored that I no longer need to take out any loans,” Mares said.
She said that receiving the scholarship has enabled her to focus on discovering her passions while impacting her community.