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Higher Education

University Center for the Arts

In 1996, Colorado State University purchased the old Fort Collins High School Building, a classic building of great historic value to the community. There the University Center for the Arts will become a reality with 100,000 square feet of classroom space and new performance venues, including two theatres, a recital hall and a 550 seat concert hall. The University Center for the Arts will give performing and cultural artists from C.S.U. and the community unprecedented opportunities to learn, create and perform, bringing a new dimension of aesthetic enrichment to the entire community.

In 2004, the foundation paid the last of two installments of a $2,000,000 pledge for the construction of the Edna Rizley Griffin Concert Hall. This beautiful concert hall opened May, 2004, with state-of-the-art acoustics and furnishings in keeping with the motto of the Center, "to inspire the human spirit"

Griffin Scholars

A scholarship program was established in 1994 that now provides financial assistance of $5,000 each semester to selected students who have received an associate degree from a community or junior college and who expect to receive a baccalaureate degree in no more than four semesters. The scholarships are available only to students who qualify for resident tuition and enroll at Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado or the University of Wyoming.

Evaluation of applicants is based on scholarship, citizenship, work history and obstacles they have overcome (financial and otherwise) to achieve their educational goals. The blue ribbon committee comprised of professional educators and community leaders reviews the applications, interviews the finalists and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. As a result, seven awards were made to "Griffin Scholars" for the 2007-2008 academic year. These students joined seven "Griffin Scholars" from the previous year. Total support of these outstanding young citizens has aggregated $1,526,864 since the inception of the program.

Members of the Scholarship Committee declined compensation for their services. Instead, $500 grants were made by the foundation to charities of their choice. Volunteer members of the committee include Gladys Eddy, Brownie McGraw, Larry E. Scott, C. William Herzog, Dr. Yolanda Penley, Jerry W. Rizley and David L. Wood. Carol B. Wood serves as the program director.

At the request of the volunteer members of the committee contributions aggregating $3,000 were made to the following charities in 2007;

Eddy Teaching Award

Willard Eddy was professor emeritus at Colorado State University at the time of his death in 1993. His career at CSU spanned six decades in which he provided unparalleled leadership in the development of the Philosophy and English departments and the University's Honors Program. In addition to his vision, energy and leadership in the development of academic disciplines in the Liberal Arts at CSU, he was also a distinguished classroom teacher. Willard loved to teach, and his efforts inspired generations of students to greater personal accomplishments.

The foundation awards an annual stipend of $1,000 to a faculty member in Liberal Arts or Natural Sciences at CSU selected each year by students and colleagues as the outstanding classroom teacher. The "Willard Eddy Teaching Award" is intended to honor persons possessing those communication skills and inspirational motivation that we believe are at the very least as important as accomplishment in research and publications.

Intercollegiate Athletics

The foundation has continued a tradition established long ago by Pat Griffin to provide modest assistance to the athletic program at Colorado State University in the belief that these activities, while secondary to academic pursuits, are nevertheless an important element in the overall goals of the university and of the students' university experience. Grants paid last year were $5,000.

Other Higher Education Grants

Foundation Hall

The foundation has pledged $500,000 on behalf of a project to remodel and improve "Foundation Hall" a performing arts venue near the campus of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. This facility is in daily use by students enrolled in performing art programs at the University. The project will greatly improve the acoustics of Foundation Hall and all of its related fixtures and equipment.