Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Impact of Philanthropy
With each passing year, our SDSU family continues our commitment to academic excellence, scholarly research, and community engagement and inclusivity. These shared values empower our students, faculty, and sta to soar and foster an environment in which ideas and dreams flourish. Ours is truly a university on the rise, driving innovation and delivering impactful results, and I am honored that you are a part of our story. Alongside our dedicated donors, partners and friends, we have achieved new heights in our 127th year — from record enrollment and reaching a milestone of half a million living alumni to celebrating The Campanile Foundation’s 25th anniversary, securing record-breaking research funding and expanding our university’s footprint, just to name a few. At every turn and in every way, your kindness enhances the Aztec experience. Thank you for joining us on this journey to build a better future for the university and those we serve. We are deeply grateful for your support.
Adela de la Torre, Ph.D. President
San Diego State University
Celebrating The Campanile Foundation’s 25th Anniversary
Campuswide Accolades
Initially formed under the leadership and foresight of President Emeritus Stephen L. Weber in 1999, The Campanile Foundation’s charge was to increase private funding in support of SDSU and its students to offset decreases in state funding. This year, the foundation marked 25 years of bolstering the university’s philanthropic goals alongside our loyal and caring alumni, friends, and community members.
Without you, the university would not be where it is today — YOU are the difference at SDSU.
$229.8 million IN RESEARCH FUNDING
secured in fiscal year 2023-24 — marking the third consecutive record for SDSU, an increase of $37.6 million from last year, and the greatest year-over-year percentage change (nearly 20%) in total funding over the past 10 years
$1.8 BILLION total gifts in support of student, faculty, and staff success $276 MILLION total gifts in support of scholarships
THEN: 1999 NOW: 2024 (as of June 30)
$35M in giving $131.9M in giving Endowment Endowment
now impacting local, regional, and global communities
offering the “best value” to graduates in terms of the net price of attendance
Year in Review: New
SDSU ATHLETICS
The Aztecs celebrated new conference championships in women’s soccer, women’s swim and dive, women’s tennis, men’s golf, and women’s softball. Men’s basketball secured a second consecutive run to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, and women’s basketball advanced to the Mountain West Tournament Championship game for the first time since 2013.
SDSU MISSION VALLEY
The SDSU Mission Valley river park opened and was honored with the Project of the Year award in the Parks category at the 2024 American Public Works Association Awards (San Diego/Imperial County Chapter).
SDSU IMPERIAL VALLEY
The university broke ground on the SDSU Imperial Valley Sciences & Engineering Laboratories, a state-of-the-art teaching and research hub that will advance STEM education and career pathways in the region.
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU, a globally renowned accelerator program supported by SDSU mentors, entrepreneursin-residence, and Techstars staff, trained its inaugural cohort of 12 startups to fundraise, network, and build their companies.
AZTEC COMMUNITY
The campus community celebrated the 10th anniversary of SDSU’s Pride Center and received our third consecutive “Best of the Best” award from Campus Pride, recognizing the nation’s most LGBTQfriendly colleges and universities.
SDSU received a prestigious grant from The Mellon Foundation in support of the VISTA (Valuing Incarcerated Scholars through Academia) Program, which awards Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degrees at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County.
SDSU ALUMNI
The 47th SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction honored 10 Aztecs who have made notable contributions to the university or local, regional, national, or international communities.
Highs Across SDSU
Faculty Honors Student Success
Dr. Guadalupe X. “Suchi” Ayala, distinguished professor in the School of Public Health, was honored with the 2024 Albert W. Johnson University Research Lectureship — the university’s highest recognition of research and scholarly achievement — for her body of work to promote health behavior change.
Stephen L. Weber (1942-2024) improved SDSU graduation rates, built strong ties with the San Diego community, raised academic standards, and diversified the campus by pioneering programs to serve military veterans and low-income, first-generation college students. Due to countless, meaningful contributions throughout his 15-year tenure as president, the Susan and Stephen Weber Honors College was named in his and his wife’s honor in 2015.
The Gus & Emma Thompson Black Resource Center Endowment was created to advance the retention and success of SDSU students who participate in the center and to honor the Thompsons, a Black couple who were among modern Coronado’s earliest residents.
Seven SDSU students received prestigious Fullbright grants that provide the opportunity to expand perspectives and improve understanding of different cultures. Five recipients will conduct research abroad, while two will work in Fulbright’s English Teaching Assistant Program.
SDSU’s philanthropy-driven, state-of-the-art Performing Arts District opened in September 2023, offering students from various disciplines a vibrant hub for collaboration.
Gus Thompson had been born into slavery in Kentucky and came to Coronado in the 1880s with an entrepreneurial vision. He built a home and livery stable, above which were rooms rented by Black and immigrant workers who had trouble securing housing during that era. In the late 1930s, the Thompsons moved to San Diego and rented the house to Lloyd Sr. and Margaret Dong under a rent-to-own agreement. The property was sold to the Dongs following Gus’ death and remained in the family until recently. Brothers Ron Dong and Lloyd Dong Jr. selflessly gave the proceeds of the sale to SDSU’s Black Resource Center (BRC) as a gesture of gratitude to the Thompsons. With the heartfelt donation, the BRC was renamed the Gus & Emma Thompson Black Resource Center in their honor.
Excerpt from “SDSU announces $5 million Black Resource Center naming gift” by Tobin Vaughn
Fiscal Year 2023-24 Year in Giving
$131.9M
TOTAL RAISED* 12,375
TOTAL DONORS** 14,750
TOTAL GIFTS** 5,076 FIRST-TIME DONORS** 4,433
1,576
The Impact of Campuswide Support
Donor support opens a world of possibilities across SDSU, ensuring students, faculty, and staff have the resources they need to excel in the classroom and in their careers. Whether you support scholarships, faculty positions, or programs, your generous spirit spreads joy and encourages our campus community.
IMPERIAL VALLEY
The SDSU Imperial Valley accelerated nursing program received significant support from the Carolyn and Cliff Colwell Imperial Valley Nursing Fund, providing faculty development opportunities, enhanced infrastructure, and scholarship awards.
ARTS AND LETTERS
The Kit and Karen Sickels Endowed Chair in University Heritage and Community Engagement was created to preserve and promote the university’s rich cultural history across our campus, local, and regional communities.
EDUCATION
The Park Family Endowed Executive Director for the Institute for Transformative Education celebrates 40 years of program growth and success by providing sustainable support and leadership for the institute in perpetuity.
ENGINEERING
The Daniel Haiming and Cai Li Chang Center for Electric Drive Transportation was named to recognize the critical support provided to students and faculty within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. The center continues to receive significant, collective support from donors who are invested in improving electric vehicle technologies, including wireless charging, battery management systems, and sustainable energy grids.
FOWLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
The James Silberrad Brown Center for Artificial Intelligence Endowed Fund has received significant support to continue to propel the program toward its goal of becoming the country’s leading educational center for AI.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program received a Prebys Foundation grant to address the critical shortage of behavioral health workers and support program graduates on their path to becoming licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) in California.
PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND FINE ARTS
The Dr. Jack McGrory School of Public Affairs Endowed Excellence Fund provides an invaluable opportunity for students to visit the California State Capitol to engage directly with public sector officials, observe legislative sessions, and tour historic sites, deepening their understanding of potential career paths in public service.
SCIENCES
SDSU cell biologist Angelica Riestra earned support from the Prebys Foundation Excellence in Scientific Research Leadership Fund for her studies on one of the world’s most common sexually transmitted infections and the parasite that causes it.
STUDENT AFFAIRS AND CAMPUS DIVERSITY
The Jessica P. Sarowitz Guardian Scholars Center was endowed to serve students in perpetuity who are current or former foster youth, wards of the court, under legal guardianship or unaccompanied homeless youths.
The Anne Rosser Residential Endowment increases access to on-campus residential housing — which is directly linked to student success in the form of higher GPAs, better retention rates, and faster degree completion rates.
SDSU ATHLETICS
The James Silberrad Brown Foundation Aztecs Going Pro Fund continues to receive widespread support, offering 29 student-athletes paid, eightweek internships that provide personal growth, career development, and civic engagement opportunities.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
Through support provided by the Africana Studies Collection Endowment, six study rooms will be named for prominent Black leaders from SDSU’s history, with the first being the Queen Mother Dr. Kathleen Harmon Study Room, supported by a gift from President Adela de la Torre and Mr. Stephen Bartlett.
Inspiring Students through Scholarships
ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-24
$5.7M
TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED 2,251 TOTAL AWARDS $2,563 AVERAGE AWARD VALUE
710
585 ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AWARDED
TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AWARDED
125 NON-ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS AWARDED $
Newly Established Scholarships
In fiscal year 2023-24 alone, 40 new endowed scholarships were created campuswide, freeing students to focus on their education and prepare for their future. The kindness and generosity of SDSU alumni and friends is unmatched, and we honor their commitment to provide even more students with the support they need to succeed.
ARTS AND LETTERS
Dr. Ora B. Gordon, MD and CAPT Lance B. Gordon, USN (Ret.)
Endowed Scholarship for the Center for War and Society: supporting military-affiliated graduate students pursuing a major in history with a concentration in war and society or political science or who are involved with the Center for War and Society
EDUCATION
Samuel M. and Kristine J. Ciccati Endowed Scholarship: supporting teaching credential students who are committed to Black Excellence in education
ENGINEERING
Paige and Richard Cronin Endowed Engineering Scholarship: supporting students in the MESA Program who are pursuing a major within the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
FOWLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Beta Alpha Psi Endowed Scholarship: established by students to support their peers who are participating in the accounting society
Howard and Virginia Levenson Scholarship: supporting first-generation students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5+
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Price Philanthropies Foundation Grant to support the SDSU School of Social Work: The school received continued, vital support for the Lead and Learn from the Heart program, which provides resources that encourage City Heights families to learn and engage in social emotional learning, bridge the achievement gap, maximize parent-child relationships, and ultimately, maximize life outcomes
PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AND FINE ARTS
John L. and Shawn A. Baldwin Endowed Scholarship for Excellence in Journalism and the John L. Baldwin and Shawn A. Baldwin Scholarship for Opinion Journalism: supporting students in the School of Journalism and Media Studies
SCIENCES
John & Marjorie Rotner Family Endowed Scholarship: supporting students in the College of Sciences and Military and Veterans Program in the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity
STUDENT AFFAIRS AND CAMPUS DIVERSITY
Kerr Scholarship for Enlisted Veterans: supporting students in the Military and Veterans Program in the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity
Scholarship
Recipients: Then and Now
Over the years, scholarships have become increasingly important in bridging the gap of ever increasing educational costs. SDSU donors have selflessly answered the call for support, providing students with peace of mind and the ability to explore their dreams. Simply stated, scholarships change lives.
Students Then
Over the course of nearly 15 years, the Jim and Janet Sinegal Scholarship supported more than 225 students in the College of Education who were working toward their teaching credentials. Alumnus and former SDSU staff member Jaime Fagan (‘06) is among the recipients. In total, more than 650 students across campus have received awards from Jim and Janet Sinegal Endowed Scholarships.
“This scholarship made a significant impact on me as an educator and in my life. As a passionate educator of 15 years, I am now giving back to other educators by mentoring and tailoring professional learning opportunities to meet their needs. The donors’ philanthropic hearts continue to inspire me to give back.”
— JAIME FAGAN (‘06)
Students Now
ARISS TREAT ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
“This scholarship will allow me the ability to further thrive and share my love and understanding of literature with others.”
- HANNAH OLMOS, ENGLISH MAJOR
TITLE V SCHOLARSHIP
“My success at SDSU will be directly influenced by your generous donation.”
- SEBASTIAN AMADOR IBARRA, LIBERAL STUDIES MAJOR, SDSU IMPERIAL VALLEY
SDSU GUARDIAN SCHOLARS SCHOLARSHIP
“I will continue to look back at this moment to remind myself that there are people — aside from myself — who want to see me succeed.”
- ROWEN DIAZ, COMPUTER ENGINEERING MAJOR
LIPINSKY FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
“Your kindness and belief in my potential have revived my determination and rekindled my aspirations.”
- MAXIMILIANO ROJO, FINANCE MAJOR
SHARON L. MASSETH
MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
“I am extremely honored to be able to make a positive impact toward bettering the health of my Native community.”
- JOLIE BEENTJES, NURSING MAJOR
D.B. WILLIAMS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
“Your belief in my potential has filled me with renewed determination to excel and make the most of this opportunity.”
- DENNISE JUAREZAGUILAR, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MAJOR
BRITT LUNDBERG ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN SCIENCES
“As a single mother, I constantly strive to create a better future for my children, and this scholarship is an invaluable contribution toward that goal.”
- ZOILA ROMERO, PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR
SDSU RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
“I want to personally thank the donors for their generosity in sponsoring the next generation of San Diego social workers.”
- RAYMOND WELLS, SOCIAL WORK MASTER’S STUDENT
DON RAIG SCHOLARSHIP
“Your investment in my education inspires me to work even harder — not just for myself, but also to make a positive impact in my community.”
- LAYLAH CHAVEZ, ART MAJOR, HONORS MINOR
BILL AND ELAINE HARTLEB ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT
“The proud donors of San Diego State University have opened doors for me to be the best version of myself.”
- MILES HEIDE, UNDECLARED
When our SDSU community comes together, we have the ability to enhance the Aztec experience for generations to come. Gifts of any amount combine to create change and opportunity across campus.
Celebrating Collective Generosity
Aztec Parents Fund
Support from the Aztec Parents Fund has contributed to the continued growth of our canine therapy program, which plays a crucial role in supporting the mental health of our students. Luna, a 4-year-old Cavapoo, spends her days with handler Cristina Antonucci, a licensed psychologist in Counseling & Psychological Services, offering SDSU students companionship, therapy sessions, and encounters across campus to provide comfort, reduce stress, and foster emotional healing.
Aztec Club
More than 5,000 donors contributed nearly $14M in gifts to the Aztec Club, helping to ensure the educational experience of Aztec StudentAthletes and the continued growth and success of SDSU Athletics.
Residential Housing
Endowed Scholarship
“Thank you for enabling me to pursue my dreams. I am very passionate about helping others and making an impact on the community around me. To achieve my goals, I plan to use all the resources available at SDSU to become the best student I can be.”
FATIMA HUSAIN, PUBLIC HEALTH MAJOR
LUNA, COUNSELING & PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES, CERTIFIED THERAPY DOG
AZTEC CLUB MEMBERS SUPPORT STUDENT-ATHLETES IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN COMPETITION
Wallace, Shatsky, Blackburn, Courage Through Cancer Initiative
Gifts to the endowment are matched dollar for dollar to encourage support for students who are facing cancer crises. “Scholarships can be a game-changer for students, transforming their college experience from one of uncertainty to one filled with hope and the opportunity to thrive academically.”
CARLEY FOSS, ART MAJOR
L to R: Rose Pasenelli, Associate Vice President, Student Financial Resources; Carley Foss, student; Aimee De Luna, student; Evie Baez, Director, Basic Needs Center
The Future of STEM
In fall 2023, SDSU launched the STEM Forward initiative, a bold multidisciplinary effort that will increase the university’s investment in research, teaching, and infrastructure with key projects happening across several colleges and campuses.
at SDSU
Life Sciences Building
Design and construction planning began in fall 2023 on a state-of-the-art life sciences building on the San Diego campus, pictured left, which will house the vast majority of SDSU’s lab-intensive classes wherein students gain the practical skills needed to prepare them for the workforce.
Sciences and Engineering Laboratories
In February 2024, SDSU broke ground on the Sciences and Engineering Laboratories at SDSU Imperial Valley, which will host new, four-year degree programs in chemistry and engineering designed for Lithium Valley, core facilities for potential public-private partners (P3) in Imperial Valley, and science teaching laboratories to serve existing programs, including nursing and environmental health.
Innovation District Labs
Planning for the SDSU Mission Valley Innovation District continued. The site will house researchers side-by-side with partners while expanding entrepreneurship programming, freeing space on the San Diego campus to increase enrollment.
“STEM Forward is truly a university-wide effort to provide state-of-the-art resources and infrastructure for all of our students, faculty, and staff so they can generate impactful ideas and scalable solutions.”
- HALA MADANAT, VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, PICTURED SECOND FROM RIGHT
Endowed Faculty Support
Endowed chairs, professorships, directorships, fellowships, and lectureships help recruit and retain outstanding faculty to SDSU, enabling our research activity to grow while continuing to support excellence in teaching. We are grateful to SDSU supporters who share our vision of becoming a premier public research university and have established distinguished faculty positions to achieve this long-term goal.
New Faculty Endowments
Beavers Lecturer in Heavy Construction Endowment
Park Family Executive Director for the Institute for Transformative Education Endowment
Jim Ryan Chair in Construction Management Endowment
Kit and Karen Sickels Endowed Chair in University Heritage and Community Engagement
Faculty Endowments (Active)
Robert and Amy Abramson Endowed Professorship in Finance*
Accountancy Advisory Board Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow Endowment*
AGC - Paul S. Roel Chair in Construction Engineering and Management
Terry L. Atkinson Endowed Professorship in Finance*
J. Keith Behner and Catherine Stiefel Chair of Brazilian Studies
Birch Endowed Chair in Geography
William and Karen Brack Endowed Professorship in Finance*
James Silberrad Brown Center Endowed Director
James Silberrad Brown Center Fellowship Endowment
William E. Cole, Sr. CPA Endowed Directorship
The Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate Endowed Director
Julie Dillon Endowed Faculty Fellow in Real Estate*
Eckis Seismology Chair Endowment in Geophysics
Jerald B. Elliott Endowed Program Fund for Investigative Journalism
Friends of Classics Endowed Professorship
Glazer Outstanding Lecturer Fellowship Endowment*
Goddard Family Faculty Endowed Fellowship in Auditing*
Fred J. Hansen Peace Chair
fred harris Endowed Chair in Digital Signal Processing
Fred Henry Chair in Life Sciences Endowment
Hanlon Endowed Chair in Health Services Research and Policy in the Graduate School of Public Health
Internet Privacy and Internet Data Security Endowment
Lang Endowed Professorship in Leadership Development*
William E. Leonhard, Jr. Endowed Chair in Civil and Environmental Engineering
MFA Musical Theatre Endowed Professorship
Nasatir Endowed Chair in the Lipinsky Institute for Jewish Studies
Vern Odmark Endowed Chair in the Lamden School of Accountancy
Thomas and Evelyn Page Dean of the Fowler College of Business*
Thomas G. Pine Endowed Professorship in Computer Engineering
B. Porteous Endowed Professorship in Political Science
Don Powell Chair of Scenic Design Endowment
Conrad Prebys Endowed Chair in Bio-medical Research
Qualcomm Endowed Professor of Mathematics Education
Qualcomm Endowed Directorship
Real Estate Professorship Endowment
Patti Roscoe Meeting and Events Professorship Endowment
Sabin/Jones Endowed Professorship
San Diego Community Foundation Blasker Chair in Environmental Engineering
Richard and Susan Seiler Endowed Faculty Fellow in Taxation*
Dr. Sadanand Singh Endowed Professorship in Speech and Language Sciences
Friends of Classics and Barbara Schuch Endowed Postdoctoral Fellowship in Digital Classics and Humanities
Sprouse Endowed Professorship in the Fowler College of Business*
Stanford Endowed Chair in History
James J. Stansell Classics Endowment
Paul Clarke Stauffer Endowment
Endowed Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Classics in Memory of the Stepsay Family
Dennis and Elaine G. Szeto Endowed Professorship in Finance*
The Campanile Foundation Endowed Chair
USS Midway Chair in Modern US Military History
Van Deerlin Endowed Chair in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Ralph V. Whitworth Chair in Corporate Governance Endowment*
Zahn Professorship of Creativity and Innovation
Zahn Innovation Platform Chair Endowment
*Created in conjunction with the Fowler Match
Professor and AGC - Paul S. Roel Chair in Construction Engineering and Management
Dr. Thais Alves (pictured in blue regalia) celebrates with CEM graduates.
Past and current SDSU donors are forging a path to enhance the student experience by supporting life-changing scholarships, cutting-edge programs, exceptional instruction, and more. We honor their commitment to our community, providing vital resources for our shared success on campus, in the San Diego region, and beyond.
Together, we will continue to soar toward a vibrant future for SDSU.