25
July
2013
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16:15 PM
America/Los_Angeles

Pardee Family Gives $1.5 Million to Endow Student Scholarships at CSUSM

From left to right: J. Douglas Pardee, President Karen Haynes and Julie Pardee at the 2009 Scholarsip Donor Reception. The Pardee family has generously established a $1.5 million endowment in support of CSUSM's students.When it comes to higher education—and Cal State San Marcos in particular—you would be hard pressed to find bigger advocates than the Pardee family. Since 2006 the family has provided 50 scholarships a year to California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) undergraduates through the J. Douglas and Marian R. Pardee Foundation Scholarship program, totaling $700,000. In addition to their scholarship program, the family has donated scholarships in support of former foster youth in the University’s ACE Scholars Services program.Now the Pardee family has decided to take their generosity a step further, contributing an additional $1.5 million to establish the J. Douglas and Marian R. Pardee Endowment in support of CSUSM’s students. An endowed scholarship provides Cal State San Marcos with a permanent asset from which students can receive support. The CSUSM Foundation, whose investment objective is to achieve growth that is sufficient to preserve the value of the gift so that the annual award is not diminished by inflation, manages endowed gifts. “We are fully committed to building more opportunities for students seeking a higher education,” commented Julie Pardee, noting her father’s lifelong commitment to supporting students. J. Douglas Pardee, co-founder of Pardee Construction Company, served on several philanthropic and foundation boards, including the Board of Trustees of the University of Southern California (USC) – on which he has been honored as a Life Trustee – and the Board of Trustees of the Marlborough School in Los Angeles. Mr. Pardee also founded a youth citizenship seminar at Pepperdine University 35 years ago that is still going strong. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Pepperdine and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Cal State San Marcos for his contributions to the campuses and to the southern California region.  “Our most recent gift to CSUSM supports the San Diego community that we live in,” Julie said. “Needless to say, we are excited about all of these opportunities for philanthropy.”The Pardee’s commitment to Cal State San Marcos also has a personal connection. Julie’s son, Chris Bailey met his wife, Natalie, in class in 2006. “He loved learning in such a positive environment where there was so much one-on-one attention to his needs and concerns,” commented Julie. Scholarships are an integral part of ensuring that CSUSM remains affordable. Sixty-seven percent of the institution’s student population receives some form of financial aid and over forty percent are the first in their family to earn a degree. “The Pardee family has generously supported Cal State San Marcos for many years, and this new gift continues and expands our ability to make a Cal State San Marcos education available to talented, hard-working students regardless of their ability to afford it,” Cal State San Marcos President Karen Haynes said. “We are grateful for the Pardee’s friendship and their commitment to helping our students succeed.”“We feel that students who are coming from financial need but are inspired to work hard and achieve good grades deserve a helping hand that can make all the difference,” reflected Julie. “Our scholarships only cover a part of what it costs to attend CSUSM, but often the funds make the difference in their ability to stay in school. Many students are working full-time, with families, as well as going to college. Their needs are diverse and often just having help with textbooks or parking fees provides them with the opportunity for them to stay on their path to achieve their educational goals.”"Their generosity has given, and will continue to give, students the encouragement and support to earn a CSUSM degree and make a positive difference in our region and in our world,” said Neal Hoss, vice president for University Advancement. “On behalf of our students and the University, we say thank you.”For more information on endowed scholarships at Cal State San Marcos, contact University Advancement at 760-750-4400