How it started

In 1983 the board of the California Society for Healthcare Engineering (CSHE) began discussing additional educational opportunities beyond those they were currently providing. They decided to establish a scholarship program to financially assist people with further education.

During the first several years, awards were funded directly by CSHE. Meanwhile an attorney was drawing up a trust agreement and working to obtain a IRS & California Franchise Tax Board ruling on non-profit status. In 1986 a 501(c)3 ruling was obtained and the Scholarship Foundation was born. It was named for Robert Mack, the first CSHE state president.

Awards have varied over the years, depending largely on investment performance. As of 2016, nearly 96 scholarships have been awarded totaling $178,750.