Tab Morales "Keeping Tabs" Scholarship Endowment

Established in 2012 to provide a resource for scholarships to benefit underrepresented students enrolling at Mission College.

Tab was born in Eagle Pass, Texas, a small town by the Mexican border. There he grew up as a happy child/teenager during the 40's and 50's, a carefree era. In 1954, he graduated from Eagle Pass High School, the first in his family to graduate from high school. Tab came to Santa Clara, California, and attended San Jose State College. He did not do too well in his studies so he joined the United States Air Force. This experience was both enjoyable and maturing, going from a teenager to a man. In 1959, he met his wife, Josephine Peever, in New York City, and in 1960, they were married in San Francisco. His wife gave birth to twins, Daniel and Rebecca. Both he and his wife decided that Tab should go back to the university. He attended San Francisco State University where he obtained his BA Degree in Elementary Education.

He started teaching at the 8th grade level and because the Fisher Bill had just passed which stated that foreign languages must be taught at the elementary schools, and because he spoke Spanish, he became a Spanish teacher. He then went on to study for a master's degree in Spanish Literature. That got him an extra $300 a year. After teaching 8th grade for 18 years, he decided to obtain another master's degree in Counseling Education. This degree got him eventually to Mission College, where he spent a most gratifying and enjoyable 15 years until he retired in 2001.

He was also a bit of a composer. He wrote a symphony, a choral mass, and a musical play, entitled "Dancing with Fred." His symphony was performed by the Mission College Symphony Orchestra, and it was a great joy for him to hear his music being played.

During his career as an educator, he served as president of the Belmont Faculty Association, treasurer and president of the San Mateo County Teacher's Association, treasurer and president of the Central Coast EOPS Consortium. Tab also served as the Board president of the Colleges Foundation. He was twice a recipient of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Texas.

In 2001, the "Keeping Tabs" Scholarship Fund was established upon Tab's retirement. The Fund is designated to benefit the underrepresented students found among minorities in colleges and universities. The underrepresented population is primarily those students of the following ethnic groups: Chicano/Latino students, African-American students, and Native American students. It is Tab's hope that this scholarship will encourage them to continue with their studies and achieve their goals.

"A journey of one thousand miles begins with one single step." Lao-Tzu