Carol Burnett, the celebrated UCLA alumna and iconic Hollywood figure, has made a significant commitment to her alma mater with two major contributions. These gifts include an endowment to establish a new scholarship at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, alongside a substantial donation of over 140 industry awards and honors garnered throughout her impressive seven-decade career.

Among the prestigious accolades Burnett has generously donated are seven Emmy Awards, spanning from her recognition for outstanding performance in a variety or music program in 1962 for “The Garry Moore Show” to an outstanding variety special—pre-recorded Emmy in 2023 for “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter+Love.” Her collection also features six Golden Globes, a Grammy, a Tony Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Kennedy Center Honor, multiple Peabody Awards, and the Stephen Sondheim Award. Other notable inclusions are a 1976 Creative Circle Award, the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Globes’ inaugural Carol Burnett Lifetime Achievement Award for Television, among many others. The donation extends beyond awards to include a rich array of ephemera, such as original hand drawings of Burnett in costume from “The Carol Burnett Show,” a still-boxed doll depicting her in the iconic Scarlett O’Hara curtain hanger costume from the CBS variety show, and various photographs and memorabilia. A rotating exhibit of these honors will be accessible to the public in the lobby of UCLA’s Freud Playhouse. Significantly, the collection also features a “Spotlight Award” from June 1952, honoring Burnett as the “most outstanding newcomer” in the UCLA one-act program during her spring 1952 semester, underscoring her long-standing connection to the institution.

The timing of this donation aligns with the recent announcement of the Carol Burnett Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship in Music Theater. This scholarship will provide a “substantial award” annually to one undergraduate student within the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program, designed to assist with tuition and fees. Burnett expressed her profound satisfaction with the endowment, stating, “I am so pleased that, with this endowment of the Carol Burnett Scholarship to the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television, students will be given an opportunity akin to what UCLA gave me when I enrolled fresh out of high school.” She further added, “I found my true passion at UCLA, and in this scholarship lies the hope that it will do the same for many others for many years to come.”

The inaugural recipient of this esteemed scholarship is Alexa Cruz, a first-year theater major from the class of 2029. Cruz’s background includes performing songs connected to past Burnett roles, such as “Little Girls” from “Annie” and “Shy” from “Once Upon a Mattress.” Burnett famously made her Broadway debut as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone in “Once Upon a Mattress,” earning a Tony nomination in 1960, and later starred as Miss Hannigan in the 1982 film adaptation of “Annie.” Reflecting on the impact of the scholarship, Cruz shared, “As a first-generation college student, this scholarship will help me pursue my dreams of becoming an actress and make my goals feel more attainable. This financial assistance will greatly support my educational expenses. I’m truly humbled by this opportunity and excited to continue pursuing my degree at UCLA and my passion for musical theater.”

Burnett’s recent on-screen appearances include roles in “Better Call Saul,” “Hacks,” and “Palm Royale.” Notably, “Palm Royale” was created by another UCLA alumnus, Abe Sylvia. Both Burnett and Sylvia are scheduled to visit UCLA to introduce a Season 2 premiere screening of “Palm Royale” at the James Bridges Theater. Celine Parreñas Shimizu, dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, lauded Burnett’s legacy, remarking, “Carol Burnett has led one of the most visionary, joyful and prolific careers in the history of multiple entertainment industries. She created new paths every time something blocked her way. She created new forms within the industry for herself and others to thrive. Her approach to craft is completely aligned with the spirit of what we teach our brilliant students at TFT. Carol Burnett’s voice has always been, and will always be, part of our story as we train upcoming generations to follow her bold and tenacious example.”