Volume 32 Number 7
Filled and Overflowing: Scholarship campaign surpasses goal
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Front left: Presidential Scholar Erin Ramsey, who spoke at the event, Gloria Esteban, and Steve Nettleton, co-chair of Fulfilling the Promise Campaign. Second row, far right: Jim Postma, chair of faculty campaign. photo: Lori Maxwell |
The success of the Fulfilling the Promise Scholarship Campaign was celebrated with a speech by a 2001 Presidential Scholar, gifts for the co-chairs, and congratulations for everyone. The campaign, begun in July 1997 with a goal of $10 million, was completed in June 2001 with $16,713,496 for scholarships for CSU, Chico students.
President Manuel A. Esteban spoke about the importance of scholarships in drawing the best students to CSU, Chico. “As CSU, Chico becomes impacted, we will be unable to admit every qualified student. This will give us an opportunity to improve on the academic quality of the incoming freshmen. Scholarships will permit us to attract some of the best students in the state. They also support students with high potential who might not otherwise be able to afford college,” said Esteban.
Chico’s rise to third in the 2002 rankings of top public Western universities in U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Colleges is directly tied to both the level of scholarship money we have raised and our ability to attract excellent students, said Esteban.
Erin Ramsey, a 2001 recipient of one of 10 $12,000 Presidential Scholars awards, spoke of her decision to come to Chico as “the best decision I ever made.” The scholarship was critical to her decision. Her family falls into that area of income that is too high to receive government aid, yet strained with sending four children to college. “I want you to know how much the scholarship means to me—it is my life, my future. Scholarships change peoples’ lives,” she said. “Thank you.”
“This is the first major campaign we’ve undertaken. We surpassed our goal, and it is a tremendous accomplishment for everyone: volunteers, donors, and staff,” said Ed Masterson, vice president of University Advancement. “From a fund-raiser’s perspective, the greatest satisfaction comes from helping people find ways to carry on their own highest values, through scholarship.”
Kathleen McPartland
University Publications
California State University, Chico
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95929-0040
530-898-4263
publications@csuchico.edu