The money will help students in CSUN's Cinema and Television Arts Department fund their senior film projects, which are screened each spring during the university's annual student film showcase.

"Our students have to come up with their own money to make their films," said cinema and television arts professor Nate Thomas, who heads CSUN's film option. "This gift from the foreign press association really makes a difference to our students."

The gift was made during the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's annual installation luncheon honoring its 2003-2004 slate of officers.

Among the celebrities attending the event were Tom Cruise, Jamie Lee Curtis, Zoey Deschanel, Anne Douglas, Brendan Fraser, Ed Harris, Edward James Olmos, George Takei and Jennifer Tilly.

Actor Jeff Bridges announced the scholarship donations to educational institutions.

In addition to CSUN, the California Institute of the Arts, UCLA, USC, Florida State University, North Carolina School of the Arts, Columbia University and the American Film Institute all received money for scholarships.

"I don't think most people realize what an impact the Hollywood Foreign Press Association really has outside the entertainment industry," Thomas said. "They provide money to a host of charities and their gifts for scholarships have an impact on students' lives."

The Hollywood Press Association is comprised of international journalists who report on the entertainment industry. It hosts the Golden Globes Awards each year. During the past nine years, the association has granted more than $3.5 million in charitable donations.