Cal State San Bernardino scholarships, facilities benefit from estate gift

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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Cal State San Bernardino is the beneficiary of a $2.5 million bequest in the estate of long-time San Bernardino resident Evelyn Magnuson, who was an active supporter of scholarships at the university since the early 1990s.

The gift, which is the largest bequest the university has received to date, will be split equally between the President's Academic Excellence Scholarships and building funds, said CSUSB President Albert Karnig.

"Evelyn and her husband, Paul, wanted to support scholarships for meritorious students, so their contribution will be put toward the President's Academic Excellence Scholarships, which are made available to the top one percent of graduates from San Bernardino County high schools," Karnig said.

"The university also is grateful for Evelyn's vision and support for the growth of this campus, as evidenced by her gift toward building projects. This kind of legacy gift makes all the difference in CSUSB's strengthening endowment and its ability to plan strategically for the future."

The capital projects that are benefitting from the Magnuson estate include CSUSB's new College of Education building, and the Murillo Family Observatory that is under construction on the north side of campus.

"Estate gifts are especially important during times of cash shortages, as they provide an opportunity for significant support of higher education," said Francoise Aylmer, associate vice president for development.

Evelyn Magnuson, who was widowed in 1979 and never remarried, is remembered by friends as someone who was philanthropic, yet did not seek recognition. The late Paul Magnuson was co-owner of Franklin Press, a San Bernardino-based printing company that operated for more than 60 years. Evelyn Magnuson passed away in her native Kansas in May 2007.

For more information, contact Francoise Aylmer, the CSUSB associate vice president for development at (909) 537-5005 or e-mail faylmer@csusb.edu.

For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university's Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit the university's news site news.csusb.edu.

CSUSB is the beneficiary of a $2.5 million bequest in the estate of long-time San Bernardino resident Evelyn Magnuson, who was an active supporter of scholarships at the university since the early 1990s.