Linda Dozoretz loved the rock ‘n’ roll of the 1960s and was a skilled public relations professional with a knack for corporate and crisis communications. She was also a proud California State University, Northridge alumna.

When Dozoretz died two years ago, she bequeathed more than $65,000 for the creation of a scholarship endowment at her alma mater. The scholarship, which was established in the memory of Dozoretz and her parents, Eileen and Ralph Dozoretz, will support an aspiring artist, actor or creative writer.

Linda Dozoretz and her dog Sweetie. Photo courtesy of Lynn Weiss.

The first Linda Dozoretz Scholarship will be awarded in fall 2013 to a student majoring in art, cinema and television arts, communication studies, journalism, music or theater in CSUN’s Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication.

“These kinds of resources are particularly important to our students in this current environment,” said William Watkins, CSUN’s vice president for student affairs. “One of the most useful ways alumni can support our students is through the gift of scholarship. An endowment such as this will support our students for years to come, and serves as a living legacy of the alumnae who created it.”

Lynn Weiss, director of communications for USA Network and a close friend of Linda Dozoretz, said the scholarship is a fitting tribute to her friend.

“Linda was one of the most generous individuals I knew,” Weiss said. “She truly cared about people and always made sure to take care of others. This donation by Linda to CSUN is a perfect example of her giving nature and her belief in helping young people achive their goals.”

The Linda Dozoretz Scholarship will be awarded to a third- or fourth-year student in financial need with a minimum GPA of 2.8 and who has contributed time and/or talent to a nonprofit organization or an advocacy group.

Eileen Dozoretz was an avid amateur painter who took up art in her adult years. Ralph Dozoretz was a lifelong skilled craftsman who made a living in restorative woodworking.

Linda Dozoretz, a native Los Angeleno, graduated from what was then San Fernando Valley State College in 1971 with a degree in English. While she was in college, she took a part-time job for a publicity agency and quickly discovered that public relations was the career for her.

Over the years, she worked for such agencies as Ruder-Finn and Guttman & Pam. Dozoretz spent her longest time with Rogers & Cowen, where she was president of four divisions and reported to both Warren Cowan and Henry Rogers. While at Rogers & Cowen, she helped established the book, advertising and special project divisions.

Friends said Dozoretz, a successful publicist, never stopped marveling at the “incredible life experiences” her career provided. Her long-time clients included Academy Award- and Grammy-winning composer Burt Bacharach, Martina Navratilova, Rosemary Clooney, Music Theatre International, the American Film Institute and Doris Day. Dozoretz served as executive director of the nonprofit Doris Day Animal Foundation.

Beginning in the 1980s, Dozoretz worked on crisis public relations campaigns for hundreds of celebrities, entertainment industry productions, companies and nonprofits. At the time of her passing, Dozoretz was teaching a class on public relations for nonprofit organizations at UCLA Extension.

For more information about the endowment or to make a contribution, contact Jerry De Felice, director of development for student affairs, at (818) 677-3935 or jd@csun.edu.

California State University, Northridge is a regionally focused, nationally recognized university serving more than 36,000 full- and part-time students in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. Founded in 1958, Cal State Northridge is among the largest universities in the nation and is ranked among the top universities for bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students. It has nine colleges and more than 2,000 faculty members who teach courses leading to bachelor’s degrees in 69 disciplines, master’s degrees in 58 fields and doctorates in education and physical therapy, as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Continuously evolving and changing to meet the needs of California and the nation at large, the university is home to dozens of acclaimed programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty and industry professionals, whether in the sciences, health care and engineering or education, political science, the arts and the social sciences.

Alumni, Donors, Mike Curb College of Arts Media and Communication, Scholarships, Students