CHAIR'S MESSAGE

It seems fitting that the launch of DECLARE: The Campaign for CSULB coincides with the university’s milestone 65th anniversary. As we reflect on the achievements of the past six decades, it’s natural to wonder where the next 65 years will lead.

There is no doubt that, going forward, private giving will play a key role in maintaining affordability and excellence at CSULB. Philanthropy provides the flexible income that allows the university to grow and build on its strengths. The DECLARE campaign will expand our base of private support, which, in turn, will add value to The Beach experience and to the degrees of our nearly 300,000 alumni.

It is a privilege for me to be working with a dedicated group of board members to ensure that the university has the resources it needs to achieve its ambitious goals. My fellow board members and I are proud to contribute to the success of DECLARE by serving as campaign advocates and advisers, as well as by providing direct financial support.

Finally, as we think about the future of CSULB, we must also consider the role of endowments. Endowments have helped shape society and are crucial for the advancement of universities. Our board takes very seriously its duty to provide skillful, thoughtful management of the CSULB endowment. Perhaps Drew Gilpin Faust said it best when she remarked, “[Endowments] derive from our history and the dreams of those who have preceded us; they are in turn the vehicle that enables us to project our own dreams into the future.”

I invite you to keep dreaming…and DECLARING.

Sincerely,
Beverly O’Neill ’52, ’56
Board Chair