ReadFresno benefits from marketing students’ efforts
Marketing students in the Craig School of Business, under the direction of professor emeritus Skip Sherwood (Marketing and E-Business), donated a record more than 35,000 books to ReadFresno, the reading program for Fresno County elementary school pupils designed to promote literacy. The service-learning project was designed and executed by students, who received donations from book drives at businesses, schools, community events, libraries and yard sales. Last year’s effort by a previous Marketing 100 (S) class produced 30,000 books for ReadFresno. Click here for details.

Toys for Tots donations sought
New, unwrapped toys are being accepted through Dec. 15 at the Smittcamp Alumni House for the Fresno State Alumni Association’s partnership to help the Marine Corps collect for the Toys for Tots program. Toys may be dropped off from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Details: call 278.2586.

Fresno Rescue Mission seeks gifts on campus
Fresno State’s Services for Students with Disabilities program and the Fresno Rescue Mission are seeking donations of gifts that could help the mission’s ministry to homeless people in downtown Fresno. New, unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at the program’s office (University Center Room 5) by Dec. 15. Items on the Fresno Rescue Mission wish list include hair products, blow dryers, lighted mirror, makeup, watches, nail polish, journals, pens, paper, Lego sets, model cars and boats, back packs, gloves, scarves and gift cards.

Campus Humanics group joins day of service
Dr. Matthew Jendian (Sociology) directed 11 Fresno State American Humanics students, family members and friends who joined hundreds of other participants in Serving Fresno, a day of community service Nov. 18. The event was made possible through the collaboration of United Way, One by One Leadership, Fresno Unified School District, the Volunteer Center of Fresno County and Fresno State, among others.  The campus contingent was assigned to Feeding Fresno, a program at Edison High School, where they prepared and distributed hundreds of grocery bags, containing frozen turkey, beef, pork, chicken and fish. Click here for American Humanics detail.
 

Fresno State fundraisers honored
Mark Shannon and his wife Tracy, in photo at right, who have been raising money for Bulldog athletics for a decade, and the California State University, Fresno Foundation, which supports goals and missions of the university, were honored at the National Philanthropy Day Awards luncheon on Nov. 15. Shannon’s interest in helping the Fresno State football program developed from a meeting with Pat Hill, when he had just begun as the Bulldogs head coach. Shannon was chosen as the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the Central Valley Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, which hosted the 18th annual luncheon. The Foundation was selected as the Outstanding Philanthropic Organization – Foundation for a 75-year record that has helped the Fresno State endowment fund exceed the $100 million.

Area Hispanic-serving colleges get insights
Fresno State collaborated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program to invite regional Hispanic-serving institutions to an information session on Nov. 15. Included was a video conference from Washington, D.C., with program leader Dr. Irma Lawrence. Dr. Gour Choudhury, director of the Center for Food Science and Nutrition Research at Fresno State, led an informal session on how institutions can get grants from the program. The national program promotes and strengthens the ability of regional Hispanic-service institutions to carry out education, applied research and related community development programs, said Roberto González Jr., who heads Fresno State’s USDA-HSINP Liaison Office. Joining Choudhury from Fresno State among conference participants was Dr. Rosco Vaughn, a professor of agricultural education.