Berklee Announces Leon V. Rosenberg Presidential Scholarship in Jazz Studies
Berklee College of Music has announced the Leon V. Rosenberg Presidential Scholarship in Jazz Studies for students who will pursue jazz at the college.
Image by Kelly Davidson
Marilyn L. and Leon V. Rosenberg
Image courtesy of the Leon V. and Marilyn L. Rosenberg Charitable Fund
Berklee College of Music has announced the Leon V. Rosenberg Presidential Scholarship in Jazz Studies. Established in July 2024 with a gift from the Leon V. and Marilyn L. Rosenberg Charitable Fund, the presidential scholarship is Berklee's most prestigious honor. This fund will provide full tuition, housing expenses, fees, and equipment for financially and academically deserving students who have a jazz focus and the potential to make a significant contribution to society. The scholarship will be presented to a student for the duration of their career at Berklee following a review by the scholarship committee at Berklee.
“When Lawrence Berk founded Berklee in 1945, he did so with the radical idea that musicians could be trained by studying and making contemporary music,” said Danilo Pérez, multi-Grammy Award–winning artist and founder and artistic director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. “At that time, that meant jazz, and Berklee quickly gained prestige for its contribution to the genre as it grew from big band to bebop to fusion and beyond. Today, jazz remains a dynamic force for creativity, connection, and social awareness globally. Supporting jazz instrumentalists and singers through scholarships like the Leon V. Rosenberg Presidential Scholarship creates a path to success for Berklee’s most deserving students.”
Rosenberg was connected to Berklee’s founder and chancellor Lawrence Berk, and former president Lee Berk through his passion for jazz music and education. The president and owner of Briggs New York, Rosenberg also served on the board of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
“We are extremely thankful to Diane, Susan, and Richard Rosenberg, and the Leon V. and Marilyn L. Rosenberg Charitable Fund for this generous gift,” said David Bogen, Berklee’s interim president and provost. “The scholarship is a wonderful way to honor Leon V. Rosenberg’s memory while having a transformative and life-changing impact on the students who receive the award.”
