CSU Hayward -- October 10, 2003

The Kresge Foundation Awards $600,000 Challenge Grant For Cal State Hayward Business And Technology Center

The Kresge Foundation has awarded a $600,000 challenge grant to California State University, Hayward, to be used in the final stage of the $10 million fund-raising campaign for the campus' proposed Business and Technology Center.

The university is $2.3 million away from its fund-raising goal for the project. The Kresge Foundation will release its $600,000 challenge grant, provided an additional $1.7 million is raised within a year.

"This is a tremendous honor for Cal State Hayward," said CSUH President Norma Rees. "The Kresge Foundation is known for its careful scrutiny of the projects put before it. Its approval of our application marks the beginning of the final phase of our campaign, which will enable us to break ground in 2004 on the university's first new academic building since 1971."

"This gift will really energize the final leg of our campaign," said Hank Salvo, chairman of the fund-raising effort, executive vice president of Robert Mondavi Corp., and a member of the Cal State Hayward Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. "This is a great leap forward. We're getting closer and closer to our goal."

'Mark of Distinction'

"Having the Kresge Foundation's support is a key to bringing the campaign to a successful conclusion," said Bob Burt, Cal State Hayward's vice president for University Advancement. "It is a mark of distinction to have received 'a Kresge,' and that should encourage both individuals and foundations to help us complete this important project."

"I want to emphasize that the grant is a challenge, not a match," Burt added. "In order to receive the funds we must both raise the balance of our campaign goal by Oct. 1 of next year while also broadening the university's base of philanthropic support."

Prior gifts toward the project range from $5 million from the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation to the purchase of personalized bricks by more than 500 faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university.

"We will use the Kresge challenge grant to encourage others to add their support to the campaign during this crucial phase," Burt said. "Their gifts will help us secure the grant, reach our goal, and build the Business and Technology Center."

At the time of its selection in September, Cal State Hayward was one of 99 grant recipients of the foundation in 2003. Last year, Kresge awarded 158 grants worth more than $109 million from among the 565 proposals it received.

The Kresge Foundation is an independent, private foundation headquartered in Troy, Mich. created by the personal gifts of Sebastian S. Kresge. It is not affiliated with any corporation or organization.

Campus Technology Headquarters

The Business and Technology Center will serve as a campus headquarters for technology-enhanced teaching, learning and research in several academic disciplines. The 67,000 square foot facility will provide a "state-of-the-art" home for the College of Business and Economics and programs in engineering, multimedia production, K-12 teaching and learning technology, science and online degree programs.

When the center is built, students will have access to sophisticated computer and digital imaging equipment, and "cutting-edge" technology systems. It will include a high-performance wireless and fiber-optic backbone with interconnectivity among several high-tech classrooms to 11 resource centers. A major feature will be a 240-seat presentation center with multimedia and video-conferencing facilities available to the campus and the community.

Students will have access to wireless computer networking and communication connections with local businesses, the university's Contra Costa Campus in Concord, and regional CSUH learning facilities in Oakland, Alameda, and San Ramon. They will enjoy satellite connections to the university's international learning centers in Moscow, Austria, Hong Kong, Beijing and Singapore. The Business and Technology Center also will become the new hub for the campus-wide technology infrastructure.

Media Contacts: Kim Huggett, (510) 885-2032, or Barry Zepe, (510) 885-3884

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