---

Craig School marks 10-year endowment anniversary

By Tom Uribes

The Craig School of Business marked 10 years of excellence Friday, Sept. 28, with a gala event that celebrated how Americans work together to achieve common goals.

The event marked the 10th anniversary of a $10 million gift from the Craig Foundation in 1992.

Dr. Fred J. Evans, dean of the Craig School of Business, said the original $125 fee for the event was waived. He said the event also paid tribute to the spirit of America.

"The recent terrorist attacks on America has not dampened our spirit," Evans said. "We appreciate support for this event and look forward to celebrating the next 10 years of our accomplishments with the community."

Those who had paid to attend the gala can have their payment refunded, or if they prefer, they can have their payment donated to either the Craig School of Business or the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

The theme for the gala was "Rolling Out the Red Carpet," with a second theme for the evening being "America Means Business."

State Sen. Charles Poochigian, a Fresno State alumnus, served as master of ceremonies. Fresno State president Dr. John D. Welty and Dr. Evans were speakers for the event.

A video presentation, "Defining a Decade," showcased the Craig School of Business accomplishments. The evening culminated with entertainment by "The Joe Lenigan Little Big Band."

The event also was broadcast live over the Internet at www.craigbusiness.com.

Evans said the 10-year-old endowment has allowed the Craig School to make great strides for students.

"The Craig Scholars program provides up to 40, four-year scholarships, crowning a scholarship program that is the best in the California State University system and one of the best in the country," Evans said. "We developed an internship program that is ranked as 'California's Best,' and fields more than 240 student interns per year."

The pledge was the largest endowment in Fresno State's history and the largest ever received by a California State University campus.

Fresno State's School of Business, established in 1928, was renamed the Sid Craig School of Business in recognition of the Craig endowment. Sid Craig was a business and psychology major at Fresno State from 1952 to 1955.

The Craig School of Business is the third public institution in California to be nationally accredited by American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The school was the first CSU program to receive an endowed chair, establish its own named scholarship program and its own honors program. The Craig School was also first to receive a naming endowment for its honors program (The Fresno Merchants Business Honors Program).

Back to University Journal, 10/8/01 Issue