CLU Announces Completion of Now is the Time Campaign

The incredible results of Cal Lutheran's five–year Now is the Time campaign were publicly announced and celebrated on May 20. President Luther S. Luedtke announced that the University surpassed its $80 million fund–raising endeavor – bringing in $93 million – at a "Now is the Time to Say Thank You" event on campus. The comprehensive campaign, the largest in the University's history, surpassed the initial goal for both current and future gifts.

Luedtke explained to more than 250 supporters in CLU's soon–to–be–replaced gymnasium, that their generous donations have resulted in positioning the University for the future. The completion of the Spies–Bornemann Center for Education and Technology, the 100 percent increase in the University's endowment, and construction of the long–awaited athletic facilities on the north side of Olsen Road will greatly enhance the academic, athletic and student life programs. The comprehensive campaign has allowed CLU to take giant strides toward building much–needed facilities and creating new programs, centers, endowed professorships and scholarships.

In October, more than 800 people joined in the groundbreaking celebration for the athletics complex which will include the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, the Samuelson Aquatics Center, the George "Sparky" Anderson Baseball Field, a soccer venue, and track and field facilities. The 96,000–square–foot Gilbert Center will house two major gymnasiums, Lundring events center, and classrooms and laboratories to complement the study of sports medicine, sports management and kinesiology. The center, which is set to open in fall 2006, will also serve as the first permanent home to the CLU Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame and the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame.

Most recently, two new endowed professorships have been announced: the Uyeno–Tseng Professorship in International Studies and the Nena Amundson Professorship in Biomechanics. A Stauffer Professorship in Analytical Chemistry was announced in 2002, and 39 new endowed scholarships have been established during the campaign.