Thank you for supporting the Mario G. Semere Art History Scholarship so we can continue to provide meaningful opportunities for our students and community.
Mario Semere was born in Merano Italy (near the Italian Alps) on February 10, 1931.
He experienced the ravages of WWII in Italy firsthand before coming to the USA. He
moved to the U.S. with his brother Francis and became a naturalized citizen. He attended
Beverly Hills High School and was drafted into the U.S. Air Force (USAF) where he
served for four years as a pilot; He served in the 63rd Troop Carrier Wing and was
honorably discharged in 1954 after serving for four years.
He graduated from SMC and transferred to UCLA where he was a Fine Art major, with specializations in Biomedical Illustration and Art History. Mario worked as an art director for motion pictures, art critic, cartoonist, art history lecturer, illustrator, painter, sculptor; he taught middle school and also college students at SMC. Mario taught at SMC for over five decades—he began working at SMC as a full-time faculty member on September 11, 1961 and retired effective June 2012.
Mario's charisma, warmth, sense of humor, passion for art, and extensive knowledge of the subject matter affected thousands of students over the course of his teaching career at SMC; students would often send letters telling him how he changed their lives by taking his courses.
For donations by check, please make your check payable to:
The Santa Monica College Foundation
1900 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
On the memo line, please write: Mario G. Semere Art History Scholarship