Donor establishes endowment in honor of CSUB alumna

Endowment will fund scholarships for re-entry counseling psychology students

By California State University, Bakersfield

December 15^th, 2025

Many students face challenges in resuming their higher education studies after an extended absence, but a new scholarship at California State University, Bakersfield will help ease the transition for some of these re-entry students.

Retired local attorney, David Cooper, is providing $110,000 to CSUB to establish the Dianne Levine Cooper Endowment Fund in honor of his late wife, an alumna of the university. The endowment will fund annual scholarships for re-entry students in the counseling psychology master’s program.

Dianne received her master’s degree in counseling from CSUB in 1983, after which she became a widely respected marriage and family therapist in Bakersfield. She died in March at age 79, having maintained her connection with CSUB long after her graduation by serving as a lecturer and participating in professional seminars and other activities in support of counseling students.

“I’m incredibly grateful to be able to do this. Being a therapist, having that calling, was so meaningful to Dianne. It changed her life,” Cooper said. “The fact that we’re able to give a little bit back to CSUB to support counseling students is precisely what Dianne would have wanted.”

Dr. Erika Harper, director of the counseling psychology program, said she is grateful for the support.

“We are absolutely overjoyed for the generous and precious gift Mr. Cooper is giving in support of counseling psychology master’s students,” she said. “This endowment fund is specifically aimed at re-entry students, who account for many of our program students and provides a pathway for these students that makes achieving their master’s in counseling psychology possible.”

Interim Dean for the College of Social Sciences and Education Dr. Luis Vega said alumni support of current students is the ultimate gift.

“Mr. Cooper understands well students’ plights, who in pursuit of becoming counselors face perilous winds defined by being first-generation in college, a single parent, juggling multiple jobs, caring for a loved one, having shelter and food insecurity,” he said. “This endowment gives our students a hand up and a legacy of helping others, reinforcing the sacred credo in the counseling profession.”

Like many of the students who will be supported by the scholarship, Dianne returned to college after a long absence. Cooper believes the endowment will serve as a great way to ensure that her legacy lives on.

“In contemplating an appropriate memorial for Dianne, it seemed to me and the rest of Dianne’s family like the most natural thing in the world to do,” he said. “We hope it’s going to make school a bit easier for these students. Re-entry students in particular — they often work, they have kids. The mechanics of life just make things difficult, so if we can help enable people to do something that they want to do, that would be great, and a lasting legacy for Dianne.”

'Never a wavering second'

David and Dianne both attended the University of California, Berkeley, where they received their bachelor’s degrees in 1967 and 1968, respectively. David went on to attend UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law (now known as Berkeley Law) and earned his degree in 1970.

The couple moved with their two children to Bakersfield in 1979, after which David joined Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Inc. He was director of the organization, which provides free legal services to low-income residents, from 1981 to 1988.

David then joined Klein DeNatale Goldner (KDG) Attorneys at Law, where he practiced law until his retirement in 2023. Over the course of his 35 years at the firm, David also served as its managing partner and general counsel.

While living in Bakersfield, Dianne decided to enroll at Bakersfield College. She wanted to learn a trade and initially thought of becoming a bookkeeper, but after attending a presentation about self-esteem led by two marriage and family therapists — themselves graduates of the counseling psychology program — she realized that was the career path for her.

Dianne subsequently enrolled at CSUB and received her master’s degree 15 years after having earned her bachelor’s.

“From then on, there was never a wavering second in terms of what she wanted to do,” David said. “We all were very supportive. It was a great thing for her and for the entire family.”

After completing an internship at Memorial Hospital and earning her license, Dianne began practicing as a marriage and family therapist in 1986. She joined two other CSUB alumna — Alumni Hall of Fame inductees Dr. Lynne Hall and Dr. Janet Pierucci — at Westchester Counseling in Bakersfield.

Dianne worked in private practice for nearly 40 years, mostly in Bakersfield, and provided counseling services to hundreds of Kern County residents.

Angelica Franco understands how challenging it can be to come back to college after an absence. She received her bachelor’s in chemical engineering from the University of California, Riverside in 2019.

After working in the industry for a few years, however, she realized it wasn’t a good fit for her and made the decision to go back to college. She is currently enrolled in the counseling psychology program at CSUB and serves as one of the student managers of the Counselor Training Clinic.

Franco was excited to learn about the new scholarship and plans to apply for it. She said she hopes it could also help convince a friend who wants return to college to pursue a master’s degree to apply to CSUB.

“Learning about this new scholarship has made him reconsider CSUB’s program, something he wouldn’t have thought possible before,” she said. “I believe this scholarship will lower barriers for students who might otherwise be unable to return and join our wonderful program. I also believe it has the potential to open doors for historically marginalized populations who often lack the financial resources to pursue higher education.”

To make an online contribution to the Dianne Levine Cooper Endowment Fund, visit the scholarship’s donation page. Contributions can also be mailed to: