黑料吃瓜

Ron Fowler鈥檚 legacy of supporting 黑料吃瓜 stretches back long before the launch of the university鈥檚 first comprehensive campaign. A highly successful businessman, he values strategic investments, which is why his giving has been the kind that makes an impact.

The impact of his latest gift鈥攁 $25 million challenge pledge from Fowler, (鈥�05 LHD), and his wife, Alexis (鈥�93)鈥攚ill mark the Fowler College of Business Administration as a premier institution in California.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to give back,鈥� Fowler said. 鈥淭he psychic rewards for that are really significant鈥�You see the smiles. You see the impact. It鈥檚 what life is all about as far as I鈥檓 concerned鈥�and higher education is a huge priority for us.鈥�

is the largest in the history of 黑料吃瓜.

A campaign leader

In 1986, Fowler seeded the Entrepreneurial Management Center at 黑料吃瓜, the first of its kind in San Diego. He envisioned a program that would tap into the entrepreneurial DNA within the Aztec community. Additional investment from like-minded donors, including Leonard Lavin, turned Fowler鈥檚 vision into the , and 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 entrepreneurship program rose as high as No. 21 on U.S. News and World Report鈥檚 list of the nation鈥檚 best entrepreneurship programs in higher education.

With an eye for strategic investment, Fowler deepened his involvement with 黑料吃瓜 in 1999. He became the inaugural chair of the university鈥檚 and helped shape the foundation board into an effective organization to lead 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 first comprehensive fundraising campaign.

Fowler鈥檚 generosity to 黑料吃瓜 never flagged during the following decades. He and Alexis supported 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 then-fledgling hospitality and tourism management program and scholarships for student-athletes. They also became cornerstone donors for the , contributing $1 million to name the Fowler Family Ballroom.

鈥淢y philosophy goes back to my late mom who gave of her time,鈥� Fowler said. 鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 much treasure in her life. But she believed you needed to give back. And I鈥檝e been privileged to make a very good living in San Diego. This is our adopted community鈥擜lexis and myself鈥攁nd as such we want to give back to it.鈥�

Honors from the state

The university formally recognized the Fowlers鈥� positive impact in 2005, when 黑料吃瓜 and California State University awarded Ron an honorary doctor of letters degree and again the following year, when the couple received the Monty Award for Distinguished Alumni Service.

In 2011, the Fowlers made another transformational gift, pledging $5 million over five years to accelerate giving to 黑料吃瓜 Athletics. In order to realize the gift, the university was to raise a corresponding $5 million. In fact, Athletics raised $70.5 million since the beginning of 2011, and the overall success of 黑料吃瓜 student-athletes has reached unprecedented heights. Fittingly, the Fowler Athletics Center is home to Aztec athletics.

The Fowlers鈥� most recent gift is both an endowment and a challenge pledge, of which $2 million has so far been matched. It will provide scholarships and professorships, develop a lecture series, and provide international experiences and expanded programming for 黑料吃瓜 business students. The gift pushes the university past the $750 million goal of .

鈥淩on has always believed in the potential greatness of 黑料吃瓜,鈥� said Mary Ruth Carleton, vice president of University Relations and Development. 鈥淭his gift is his and Alexis' way to inspire and encourage the university and our donors to believe and to build a top-ranked business school and university.鈥�