Colorado State University Recognizes Donors and Celebrates Successes with Annual 1870 Recognition Dinner (1998)

Colorado State University will recognize its major donors and celebrate successes of the past year at the annual 1870 Recognition Dinner Nov. 6.

The dinner pays tribute to 1870 Club donors, private donors who contribute gifts of $1,870 or more annually to the university. The 1870 Club was named in honor of the university’s founding in 1870. Club members include alumni, corporations, foundations, organizations and friends of the university.

The event also honors members of Colorado State’s lifetime giving societies. The university’s three lifetime giving societies recognize cumulative gifts of donors. They include the Presidents Society, recognizing cumulative commitments between $25,000 – $99,999; the Morgan Society for contributions between $100,000 – $999,999; and the Lory Society for gifts of $1 million or more.

This year’s 1870 Recognition Dinner theme centers on Colorado State’s Students First Scholarship Initiative. The five-year initiative to increase privately funded scholarships to recruit and retain undergraduate and graduate students began in the 1995 academic year and will continue until the 2000 academic year. During the first three years, nearly $10 million in scholarship gifts have been raised toward the total goal of $15 million, including 17 gifts of $50,000 or more.

"The 1870 donors provide leadership support for the university’s annual giving program," said Deb McCune, director of annual giving at Colorado State. "They are ambassadors and advocates for Colorado State University and inspire others to commitment and generosity."

"Members of the 1870 Club are proud of and committed to Colorado State University," said Richard L. Robinson, chairman of Colorado State’s Development Council, 1870 Club member and chairman and chief executive officer of Robinson Dairy, Inc. of Denver. "This event gives us an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year, pay tribute to our major contributors and learn about the university’s current initiatives and goals."

The 1870 Recognition Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the Main Ballroom of the Lory Student Center on campus. The evening will include a reception with entertainment provided by student musicians, an elegant dinner, a recognition program with remarks by President Albert C. Yates, performances by a student musical theatre group and testimonials by student scholarship recipients. The master of ceremonies will be Mike Arthur, an alumnus who graduated in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and who is vice president of corporate marketing for Ascent Sports, Inc.