Creating a lasting bond between Cal State Fullerton and alumni, students, parents and friends is the goal of Harnessing the Power of Titan Pride, one of five multi-year fundraising initiatives adopted by the Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Board to support key campus projects.
The premise of the initiative is to rally the energy within our collective sense of Titan Pride that has resulted from the university’s many academic and athletic accomplishments, said Pamela Hillman, vice president for University Advancement.
“If we tap into Titan Pride as a motivational force in making needed improvements to the student experience, that investment will only enhance the development of Titan Pride in those who will be our future alumni – cementing their bond with the institution.”
The initiative calls for creating a dedicated Titan Athletics Hall of Fame as part of a renovation of the entryway to historic Titan Gymnasium, improving the recreation fields and enhancing university signage. It also calls for the creation of CollegeTown, a new development where campus and city life converge, south of the campus.
Above left, the athletic fields north of the Titan
Gym. At top right, a rendering of the field shows
new fencing and lighting. Above bottom,
renderings of the Titan Gym façade, left, and the
Titan Athletics Hall of Fame, right, show some
of the planned renovations.
“This is about making investments in capital projects that will pay off over and over into the future,” Hillman said. “These are projects that enhance the student experience, advance our multidimensional educational mission, and allow us to seize the opportunity to creatively enrich the campus and the broader community for decades to come.”
Titan Pride will transform Cal State Fullerton into a place where students will grow both as learners and individuals, said Joseph Lopez ’11, immediate past president and CEO of Associated Students, CSUF, Inc. “These efforts will help turn our campus into a community where students want to spend their time.”
Such efforts will require significant private support and public-private partnerships, said Dianna Lopez Fisher, executive director of alumni relations. Fisher is working with Pamela Jones-Tintle, senior director of development for student affairs and athletics, to develop a task force of CSUF alumni and friends to help guide and support the Titan Pride initiative.
“Every dollar counts,” Fisher said. “Gifts toward this initiative directly benefit students through improved experiences.”
Called for in the initiative are $5.25 million in renovations to the Titan Gym to improve traffic flow, construct a concession area and reception hall and enhance lighting. Perhaps most important is the creation of a new dedicated area for the Titan Athletics Hall of Fame celebrating Titan athletic accomplishments, which will serve as inspiration to those in the future.
“Our Division I teams compete in the gym, and we have a robust recreational sports program as well,” said Brian Quinn, director of athletics. “Our plan is to create a very attractive façade to blend well with the kinesiology building and the new Student Recreation Center.”
Also included in the initiative are $2.8 million in improvements to the recreational fields north of the Titan Gym, where many student and community groups participate in a wide variety of sports, Quinn said. The fields are in need of natural and artificial turf, an irrigation system, lighting and fencing in order to enhance their usability and safety.
“This initiative is perfectly timed to help us modernize our campus,” said Kathy Allred ’83 (B.A. business administration-management), who has served on both the Philanthropic Foundation and Alumni Association boards. “We cannot afford to let these things deteriorate – we must look at restoration and replacement in a collaborative effort to express Titan Pride.”
Another part of the initiative calls for $400,000 to complete the installation of new and improved signage throughout the campus, said Jay Bond, associate vice president for facilities management. “Signage is extremely valuable to everyone on campus, particularly visitors and newcomers,” Bond noted. “We don’t make it easy for visitors here.” Uniform signage across the campus will aid in visually unifying the diverse architectural styles that have evolved over the years and help those on campus in navigating CSUF’s large and complex grounds.
New and
improved signage is part of the Harnessing the
Power of Titan Pride initiative and is designed to
help students, visitors and newcomers navigate
CSUF while also visually unifying the campus.
“Titan Pride is intended to strengthen our school spirit through enhancing our facilities and the ‘face’ of the campus,” agreed Kandy Mink Salas, associate vice president for student affairs. “As our campus continues to grow and improve its profile in the community, it’s important for us to find new ways to improve the student experience.”
CSUF cultivates meaningful student experiences with its nationally recognized academic programs, diversity and athletic achievements, said Silas Abrego, acting vice president for student affairs. It is only fitting that the campus provide opportunities which support student engagement both in and outside of the classroom. “This initiative will provide a welcoming environment for those activities during future decades of growth.”
The combination of Titan Pride initiative efforts will elevate both the level of general awareness of Cal State Fullerton and the alumni’s sense of community and belonging, observed Robert Alvarado ’87 (B.A. communications-advertising), vice president of marketing and ticket sales for Angels baseball.
“Titan Pride is the genesis,” Alvarado said. “There are many opportunities to become part of the university – through giving, support of athletic programs, or volunteering to speak on campus. There are plenty of things alumni can do in support of Titan Pride.”
Creating a community of students, alumni and friends is the initiative’s primary aim, Hillman said. “No matter our role as a member of the Titan family, we all have discovered the power and meaning of Titan Pride as a transformative force.
“It’s about nurturing their student experience so that we can count on their involvement in myriad ways, including as future philanthropists.”
For more information about the Titan Gymnasium, Titan Athletics Hall of Fame, and recreational fields components of the Titan Pride initiative, please contact Pamela Jones-Tintle, senior director of development, student affairs and athletics, at 657-278-4407 or pjones@fullerton.edu.
CollegeTown
A New Development Where Campus and City Life Converge
Imagine Cal State Fullerton with a new public face; a shared community and college environment where students, faculty and community members can live, work, shop, dine and play. Imagine the university blending into the community, becoming a place where student and faculty housing and programs are interwoven.
That is CollegeTown, a place where campus and city life converge, and it is envisioned for the neighborhoods south of the campus bordered by Nutwood Avenue, Chapman Avenue and State College Boulevard. It is to be developed in partnership between CSUF and the city of Fullerton and is now part of the Titan Pride initiative adopted by the Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation Board.
The rendering, above, shows the CollegeTown plan for the area south of campus
bordered by Nutwood Avenue, Chapman Avenue and State College. At the center
are Hope International University’s renovated Googie-style buildings and the
proposed closure of a portion of Nutwood to create a pedestrian mall. The rendering, left, shows a closer view of the pedestrian mall.
The plan is a dramatic reconceptualization of the 60 acres just south of CSUF, and will integrate campus housing and programs into a shared community/college environment, said Jay Bond, CSUF’s associate vice president for facilities management.
“We have come to realize, as one of the largest universities in the United States, that we can create a community/campus collaboration enlivening this whole section of Fullerton, and thus increase the identity of one of the city’s best assets,” Bond said.
Within several years, CollegeTown will create a new “front door” for CSUF and Hope International University by potentially closing a portion of Nutwood Avenue between Folino and Titan drives, developing a pedestrian mall and reclaiming space for academic buildings and retail services. A pending student housing project to be developed at the corner of Commonwealth and Chapman avenues could be considered a first phase of CollegeTown.
Farther down the road, the plan calls for the development of student and faculty housing, as well as retail, dining and shopping opportunities along Commonwealth to create a seamless learning-living-working environment in Fullerton. The plan integrates retail, civic and performing spaces with a network of livable streets appealing to university and community members alike.
Expansion of college-related activities south of the campus makes sense, said Willie Hagan, CSUF’s vice president for finance and administration. “We have a small footprint for our enrollment,” Hagan said. “It’s insufficient, so this plan is critical for our future.
“The time is right, and this opportunity will not come around again,” he added. “We’re working within a climate of cooperation that’s taken years to develop, but ultimately we all want the same thing.”
Mike Mulryan, Hope International University’s vice president for institutional advancement, said that CollegeTown plans were a key factor in the university’s decision to remain in its current location.
“CollegeTown provides a synergy between our students, the two campuses, and the community,” Mulryan said. “We’re excited to be a part of the consortium with Cal State Fullerton and the city.”
HIU plans to refurbish its Googie-style Nutwood Avenue buildings, including the University Theater, which will be equipped to handle expanded HIU events and an increased number of community events. More green space and student housing are also planned.
And while project planners are quick to acknowledge that financing, planning and developing the district may require a decade or more, their enthusiasm for the project makes it seem real.
One of the CSUF campus representatives working with the city of Fullerton on a specific plan for CollegeTown is Christopher J. Reese, director of community relations. Reese is actively soliciting campus and community input in preparation for a return to the Fullerton City Council by the end of the year. The project had its first public airing at a September 2010 City Council meeting following two years of planning.
“CollegeTown both creates a focal point for the campus, where it all begins, and brings the hub of community activities to the students,” Reese said.
The resulting synergy between Fullerton residents and the campus can lead to greater innovation and productivity, said Al Zelinka, the city’s community development director. “The ability for us to retain more residents and more jobs translates into economic return for the city of Fullerton,” Zelinka said. “We want to provide opportunities for people to live, work and go to school here. CollegeTown provides that.”
As plans develop, portions of the project will require support from private donors, as well as public-private partnerships.
Pamela Hillman, vice president for university advancement, and Annette Feliciani, chair of the Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors, appeared before the City Council to speak in support of CollegeTown.
“I look forward to working with you on CollegeTown,” Hillman said. “I’ve never been more excited about a project in my entire professional life.”
Feliciani was similarly enthusiastic. “I represent the group that is out there trying to raise the money, and this is the big idea for our university.”
Planners anticipate a host of events – including food festivals, outdoor concerts and art shows – for CollegeTown. They hope that a local trolley system could connect Cal State Fullerton with other city destinations, such as downtown, the train station and Fullerton College. 
Related:
City Council Meets CollegeTown
