San Marcos,
26
June
2017
|
08:30 AM
America/Los_Angeles

CSUSM Receives $225,000 Gift to Establish Burnham Leadership Experience

Press Release | By Eric Breier

Philanthropists Malin and Roberta Burnham have made a $225,000 gift through the Burnham Foundation to California State University San Marcos to establish the Burnham Leadership Experience in the University’s College of Business Administration (CoBA).

The Burnhams have been supporters of CSUSM since the University’s founding in 1989. Their most recent gift will fund three teams of CSUSM students every semester in perpetuity.

The Burnham Leadership Experience will operate under the umbrella of CSUSM’s Senior Experience Program, a College of Business Administration hallmark for 25 years.

“Cal State San Marcos has a great tradition of collaborating with leaders, businesses and community members and organizations to make our region better for all,” Malin Burnham said. “Roberta and I are pleased that the Burnham Leadership Experience will help CSUSM continue to fulfill that mission.”

A requirement for all CSUSM undergraduate business students, the Senior Experience Program matches teams of students with projects submitted by a variety of businesses and organizations. Students gain valuable work experience as consultants on rigorous real-world projects while businesses gain concentrated attention from teams of students who provide a fresh, independent perspective. Organizations pay $1,500 to participate in the Senior Experience Program.

While nearly half of the Senior Experience Program projects completed by CSUSM students have been for nonprofit organizations, the Burnham Leadership Experience will open the door for additional nonprofits that may not otherwise be able to afford the Senior Experience Program fee.

“Malin and Roberta Burnham’s gift will significantly increase the impact that our students are able to have on the nonprofit sector in San Diego County,” said Ed Ashley, CoBA’s director of business community relations. “The Burnham Leadership Experience will provide an excellent opportunity for nonprofit organizations that may not have had the means to participate in the past.”

 

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 27-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls over 15,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.