Colorado State University has announced a $3.1 million gift from the Monfort Family Foundation to extend its renowned Monfort Excellence Fund. The fund, which began in 1999 and will continue until 2014, provides money for Monfort Scholars, Monfort Professors, Monfort Professors-in-Residence and the Monfort Lecture Series.
The Monfort Excellence Fund has had a tremendous impact on Colorado State University students, faculty and the Northern Colorado community through its scholarships for exceptional students, its support of outstanding faculty and its public lectures delivered by international leaders.
"Members of the Monfort family have built an extraordinary legacy in Colorado through their business successes and through their decades of service to the state and its people," said President Larry Edward Penley. "They have been strong advocates for higher education, and their pride in Colorado State University is reflected in their longstanding support of the Morgan Library, the University Center for the Arts, the prestigious Monfort Scholarships and many other initiatives.”
Penley noted that the generous gift to continue the Monfort Excellence Fund is the latest testament to the family’s belief in the importance of education - and their willingness to invest in future generations of Colorado leaders and professionals.
"The Monfort Family has been supporting Colorado State University students for a number of years," said Dick Monfort, trustee and treasurer of the Monfort Family Foundation. "We want to support bright kids who would not have been able to take advantage of a college education without these scholarships. It's all about giving kids an education."
Former assistant state engineer, longtime faculty member and Colorado State University alumnus Bob Longenbaugh and his wife Eulalia have named Colorado State's College of Engineering the beneficiary of a $1 million estate gift.
The planned gift will supplement the Longenbaugh Endowed Scholarship in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The scholarship supports undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students who have an interest in water resources and who demonstrate significant financial need.
"Bob Longenbaugh has always been generous to Colorado State University," said Dr. Sandra Woods, Dean of the College of Engineering. "We will always be grateful for his support, advocacy for and dedication to the university. This gift will enable the civil engineering department to attract qualified students and enables our mission to engineer global solutions."
The Bernard Osher Foundation has established a $50,000 scholarship fund for former undergraduate students enrolling at Colorado State University.
Starting next school year, Colorado State will be awarding 11 to 12 scholarships in the $4,000 range to re-entry students to help them pursue bachelor's degrees. Applicants for the Osher Re-entry Scholarship must be between the ages of 25 and 50 with a cumulative gap in their education of five or more years.
"It is exciting to be able to support adults who have not given up on investing in their economic future," said Jan Rastall, coordinator of the Osher Re-entry Scholarship program. "Thanks to the Osher Foundation, we now have funds to award scholarships to people who have already made significant progress toward their bachelor's, yet had to delay graduating due to life circumstances."
For more information about the Osher Re-entry Scholarship, visit www.natsci.colostate.edu/Osher/ or call Jan Rastall at (970) 491-0415.
Colorado State University held its spring commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, with more than 3,500 degrees conferred, the largest graduating class in CSU history.
Degrees awarded at spring commencement included 2,654 bachelor's degrees, 614 master's degrees, 151 doctoral degrees and 134 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees. Gov. Bill Ritter, who graduated 30 years ago from Colorado State, was among the commencement speakers. Ritter was elected Colorado's 41st governor in 2006 - the first Colorado-born governor in more than 35 years.
