50 Years of Philanthropy
1
1969
CSUB Foundation is established as a financially self-sufficient auxiliary non-profit organization. The mission of the California State University, Bakersfield Foundation is to support the University by advocating for CSUB to government and to the community, fundraising for CSUB programs and activities, and managing the finances of the Foundation and the University endowment.
2
1970s
President's Associates, the most enduring giving society at CSUB, is established to support student research. During the 2018-2019 academic year, President's Associates raised a record $150,000 to double the number of scholarships for the Student Research Scholars Program to 50.
3
1972
CSUB Annual Athletics Barbecue begins. Proceeds from the annual event benefit the athletics scholarships.
4
1972
The Roadrunner Club (until 2012, when it was renamed to Roadrunner Scholarship Fund) is established.
5
1980
Tenneco donates $150,000 for soccer fields for community and college use. The soccer fields are dedicated to Wilton Scott, a past president and board member of Tenneco Oil.
6
1980
Olympic-sized pool is funded in memory of John Hillman.
7
1984
Hispanic Excellence Scholarship Fund (HESF) at CSUB is established by CSUB President Dr. Tomás A. Arciniega (CSUB President 1983-2004). This initiative was established to increase access to a college education for academically excellent, financially deserving, underrepresented students who demonstrated leadership potential.
8
1988
John Brock Endowment awards for outstanding community service in Bakersfield and Kern County is first bestowed.
9
1990
CSUB Alumni Scholarship Endowment is established with a gift of $5,000 (has reached almost $150,000 to date).
10
1991
Ray Dezember donates $250,000 to build the Stiern Library.
11
1991
Joseph M. Long donates $10,000 to help build the Stiern library.
12
1994
Dolores Freeman Cerro bequeaths a portion of her estate to CSUB — $2 million goes to Stiern Library Associates.
13
1996
First Party in the Park signature fundraiser hosted by the CSUB Alumni Association takes place.
14
2000
The Student Research Scholars Program is established (funded by President's Associates).
15
August 2008
Tom Hardt, long-time Bakersfield resident, steps up to the plate with a $1 million donation to help construct the university's baseball training and playing facility, Hardt Field.
16
May 2011
Chevron donates $500,000 for annual research program and STEM Student Center.
17
Fall 2011
CSUB receives $10,000 grant for youth education.
18
Fall 2011
CSUB receives $1.75 million NSF grant to train quality science teachers.
19
Fall 2011
CSUB geology program receives $200,000 grant for high school courses.
20
January 2012
PG&E helps students realize their college dreams with $1 million scholarship program.
21
August 2012
CSUB receives grant for state-of-the-art chemistry equipment.
22
March 2013
Wendy Wayne Endowment is announced.
23
2015
Faculty and Staff Initiative is established. During Fiscal Year 2014-2015, a total of $169,168 was raised with 229 donors.
24
2015
Scholarship Endowment Reception begins to be hosted by University Advancement (originally the Donor Appreciation Luncheon hosted by Financial Aid).
25
2016
The College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering (NSME) receives a Department of Education Title III grant to build the Student Advising and Success Center, as well as a multi-faceted support program for incoming students in the Pathway's Community Program. Supports for Pathway's Community students include cohort-based class schedules, new lab equipment for high-impact classroom practices, a peer mentoring program, free book loans, and laptop rentals. Through the life of the grant, more than 500 students are expected to participate in the Pathway's Community Program.
26
November 2016
Inaugural Bakersfield Marathon takes place at CSUB. The event helped support the Roadrunner Scholarship Fund.
27
Fall 2017
Phonathon begins. It has employed more than two dozen students and has raised a total of $46,0665 in committed funds from 588 individual donors.
28
December 2017
Inaugural CSUB Alumni Holiday Mixer benefiting the CSUB Food Pantry takes place.
29
March 23, 2018
$500,000 donation is received from Angelo and Mary Mazzei.
30
April 2018
Kegley Institute of Ethics and Department of Teacher Education collaborate to launch the SEEDE (Social-Emotional, Ethics, and Democratic Education) Summer Institute for local K-4 educators. Participating teachers receive a $1,000 stipend.
31
June 2018
CSUB President Emeritus Horace Mitchell and First Lady Barbara Mitchell establish a personal commitment of $50,000 to endow scholarships that will support CSUB students who pursue study abroad.
32
September 2018
The College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering (NSME) holds the grand opening of the Student Advising and Success Center (SASC) Building. This building was funded by a Department of Education Title III grant obtained in 2016.
33
October 2018
CSUB receives a legacy gift in memory of a former basketball player. Local educator Gloria M. Burr and the late Billy D. Reed, Jr. make the legacy gift to establish three endowments.
34
October 2018
Brittney Beck, CSUB professor from the Department of Teacher Education, is awarded a $4.8 million grant to develop citizen scientist residency pathway.
35
2018-2019 Fiscal Year
CSUB Foundation raises more than $7.4 million for students — a 43% increase over prior year.
36
January 2019
Harvey L. Hall Family Plaza is announced. A generous, undisclosed gift from the Hall family makes the facilities improvement possible.
37
2019
CSUB Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants is created and 23 students receive program scholarships (College of Business and Public Administration [BPA]).
38
February 2019
Grand opening of the CSUB Investment Center, which features 12 Bloomberg terminals — the only ones available to the public in Bakersfield. The Investment Center is made possible by the generous support of the university and BPA's John Brock Committee.
39
March 2019
Flachmann Honors Study Room opens on level two of the Walter Stiern Library.
40
June 2019
Coca-Cola Foundation awards CSUB $100,000 in grant funding for first-generation college students.
41
June 2019
California Energy Research Center at CSUB receives $500,000 grant for energy/education.
42
July 2019
CSUB's leading family nurse practitioner program receives a $2.8 million grant to alleviate the health care shortage in the Valley.
43
September 2019
CSUB is among three Valley CSU campuses to receive a combined $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve STEM education.
44
October 2019
Fab Lab Annex at the Walter Stiern Library opens (funded by Edison International).
45
December 2019
Bakersfield community advocate and retired educator Gayle Batey commits a generous gift to the construction of the Energy and Engineering Innovation Building at CSUB, which will become the nexus of discovery and ingenuity in our region, shaping the next generation of Valley visionaries, inventors, and problem-solvers.
46
January 2020
Transformational gift from Chevron supports STEM education programs, such as: Research Excellence Vitalizing Science University Program (also known as REVS-UP), Fab Lab, the California Energy Research Center, STEMZone, and the Student Success Center in the College of Natural Science, Mathematics, and Engineering.
47
January 2020
Grimm family gives largest-ever donation to CSUB for establishment of the Grimm Family Center for Agricultural Business. The $5 million pledge of support for the center is the single-largest gift in the 50-year history of the university.
48
May 2020
Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) at CSUB donates $25,000 to students who are not eligible to receive support from the federal government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
49
May 2020
The Wells Fargo Foundation and the Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation awards CSUB two large gifts totaling $85,750. Funds are used to purchase software, Chromebooks, and hotspots for students accessing their education through virtual learning.
50
2020
CSUB has record fundraising year in 2019-2020, raising $10,331,577.40. That is a 34% increase from the 2018-2019 year, with support from over 1,400 donors.