Larry Sheingold, who is on the steering committee for the California Senate Staff Alumni Assn. (CSSAA), has announced that the college scholarships the association awards each year will now be called “Greg Schmidt Scholarships.” The recognition honors Greg Schmidt, former Secretary of the Senate who passed away Aug. 24 at the age of 69. Sheingold , who started CSSAA eight years ago with former Capitol staffer Linda Starr, says the idea grew from a suggestion Schmidt had made to start an alumni group. “CSSAA is a testament to [Greg’s] commitment to the Senate staff family,” Sheingold said. Sheingold retired in 2006 after a nearly 40-year legislative career, which included 16 years working with Sen. Henry Mello. When Mello termed out in 1996, Sheingold says he felt a bit lost and turned to Schmidt for friendly advice. “He said, ‘don’t worry, you’re family,'” Sheingold explained. “What Greg was saying is: There is a larger family. A larger team. A larger purpose. And you are part of that. That ideal is with me still.” Sheingold says Schmidt, who retired from the Senate in 2014, was on the CSSAA steering committee in the past year and helped select this year’s scholarship recipients. The next round of scholarships will be handed out next spring. Sheingold hopes to share more stories about Schmidt during CSSAA’s annual family picnic scheduled for September 24 at Ashton Park in Sacramento. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP at www.senalums.org. Contact: Sheingold, senate_alums@surewest.net.