$7.5 million for CSUB students

Foundation raises funds to move university forward

By California State University, Bakersfield

August 7^th, 2019

Affirming the southern Valley’s spirit of philanthropy, hundreds of community members demonstrated their deep commitment to higher education in donating more than $7.5 million to students through the CSUB Foundation in fiscal year 2018-19, a 43 percent increase over the prior fiscal year.

“I want to thank our donors and our Foundation Board of Directors for seeing infinite promise in our students, who represent the future of the region,” said Sheryl Barbich, CSUB Foundation Board Chair during the 2018-19 fundraising period. “In research, athletics and academic excellence, our university is redefining what is possible, not only for the Valley but the state and nation.”

The $7.5 million is distributed over about 150 programs, projects and scholarships, all of which have a direct impact on CSUB students.

Among the array of accounts that attracted substantial support are initiatives to fund student and faculty research, promote the academic success of student athletes, prepare students for leadership positions in science and technology, and enrich our campus and larger community by celebrating the arts and culture and facilitating exploration of important topics of the day in an informed, respectful and ethical manner.

“Our donors recognize that by investing in our students, they are enhancing the community today and for generations to come,” said Victor Martin, Vice President for University Advancement, the division that leads the university’s fundraising efforts, in conjunction with the Foundation Board of Directors. “Educational attainment, especially at CSUB, where most of our students are first-generation college students, is the key to elevating our entire community. Philanthropic investments through the CSUB Foundation bring us one step closer to doing just that.”

Highly anticipated projects that will change the face of higher education in Bakersfield received pivotal support during the fiscal year, which ended June 30. Among the transformational initiatives:

Substantial commitments toward the construction of the Innovation Complex, a 60,000-square-foot space that would be the hub of research and discovery in the Valley. The complex represents the promise of CSUB to our community to educate and inspire the next generation of thinkers and innovators, and keep those future trailblazers right here in the region after graduation, powering our local economy.
The Harvey L. Hall Plaza at the Icardo Center, which will raise the profile of our Division I Athletics Program as we transition to the prestigious, competitive Big West Conference in 2020.
A scholarship fund for first-generation college students, a special and growing population at CSUB.
Increased support for the university’s science and technology programs like the STEM-Zone, REVS-UP and the Fab Lab, which distinguish CSUB as the Valley leader in preparing tomorrow’s engineers and scientists.

Donors to the CSUB Foundation made particular strides in the areas of student research and the pursuit of academic excellence among student athletes.

The President’s Associates, the most enduring philanthropic society at CSUB, contributed nearly $170,000 to fund student and faculty research. The resources will allow the university to more than double the number of student research scholars to 53 for the upcoming academic year, a giant leap forward for the university and the Valley.

“Research is the engine that moves our region and nation forward,” said CSUB President, Dr. Lynnette Zelezny. “Our students and faculty already have made tremendous progress in areas that affect our day-to-day lives, from medicine to engineering to the intersection of language and culture. This is a proud achievement for our entire community. I can’t wait to see what our students do next.”

Among the topics that have yielded groundbreaking work by research scholars in recent years:

Geological studies to predict dangerous hotspots for landslides in the Kern River Gorge
The relationship between allergens and asthma
The use of mist cooling to delay bloom and prevent frost damage
Artificial intelligence
Renewable power generation
Soil analysis for the prevalence of valley fever
Cancer research

Meanwhile, the Athletics Department achieved a fundraising increase for the seventh consecutive year. A key focus of the university and CSUB Foundation is supporting our athletes’ success in the classroom through the Roadrunner Scholarship Fund, which yielded commitments totaling $833,852.

“Our student athletes continue to thrive academically,” said CSUB Athletics Director Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried. “Prior to 2014, our cumulative GPA had never surpassed 3.0 Now, as of the end of the spring semester, our departmental GPA has remained at a 3.0 or higher for nine consecutive terms. This is amazing and a testament to the fact that our student athletes’ determination does not end on the field or court.”