Private Donors Give Nearly $3 Million To Colorado State's Athletics, Engineering And Physics Campaigns
Friday, November 7, 1997
Note to Editors: Taped audio comments from today's press
conference are available through the University Relations
Office by calling (970) 491-1525.
FORT COLLINS--Colorado State University today announced a
string of private contributions totaling nearly $3 million toward
campaigns to improve the university's athletics, engineering and
physics programs.
The gifts--including one of the largest ever given by an
individual to the university--were announced by Colorado State
President Albert Yates during a press conference today (Friday).
"At times like these, it's important to be able to turn to
friends who share the dream of what Colorado State University can
and should become," Yates said. "Thanks to all those who are with
us today whose generosity and support have helped to make the
Athletics Facilities Campaign and the Engineering/Physics
Campaigns such a rousing success."
Highlights of the press conference included the announcement
of a $500,000 gift to the athletics campaign from longtime
Colorado State supporters Bob and Joyce Everitt of Fort Collins.
The Everitts initially gave $50,000 to the campaign, but recently
added $450,000 to their total contribution, making their donation
the single largest gift total from individuals to the athletics
campaign. The Everitt's gift helped complete the $8.6 million
fund-raising campaign for the McGraw Center, which the university
broke ground on Monday.
Other announcements included a $2 million gift from Colorado
State alumnus and businessman Harold Short, the single largest
donation from an individual to the university. Short's gift will
help support the university's efforts to expand the Engineering
Building by 60 percent and renovate laboratories with state-of-
the-art equipment and technology. A portion of Short's gift also
will be used to create an endowed professorship within the
department of civil engineering.
The 40-year-old Engineering Building, originally constructed
to accommodate half the number of current students, houses the
departments of civil, electrical and mechanical engineering and
the department of physics. Construction on the project began in
October and is scheduled to be completed by the year 2000.
Finally, the campaign to raise funds for a new home for the
physics department generated a $424,000 gift from longtime
Colorado State supporters Don Hammond and his late wife, Phyllis-
-the largest individual contribution to the physics department.
Hammond credits his late wife for making the physics gift
happen and said he wanted to give back to a program that served
as the foundation for many of his professional achievements.
Hammond earned a bachelor's degree in 1950, a master's degree in
1952 and an honorary doctoral science degree in 1974--all from
Colorado State. Before his retirement, Hammond was a longtime
researcher and employee at Hewlett-Packard Corp.
The Hammond gift will help fund a two-story, 11,000 square-
foot addition on the south side of D and E wings in the
Engineering Building. This area will serve as the new home for
the physics department's teaching program and will include four
teaching laboratories, a student reading room and mezzanine for
students to study in groups or work with tutors.
The announcements come in light of news that, for the second
consecutive year, Colorado State University has set a fund-
raising record. The $19.5 million in gifts and pledges to the
university during the 1996-97 fiscal year exceeded the goal of
$16.5 million. Private gifts and pledges were received from
21,130 donors this fiscal year. The record-breaking year follows
up on last year's (1995-96) mark of $15.5 million, which also was
an all-time high.
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