Colorado State Announces $20 Million Gift from Bohemian Foundation–Largest Cash Gift in University History

The Bohemian Foundation today gave more than $20 million to Colorado State University – the largest ever cash gift to the university – to support the university’s highest academic and athletic capital priorities.

Colorado State University President Albert C. Yates announced a $20.1 million gift from the Bohemian Foundation at a press conference this morning. Pat Stryker, president, represented the Bohemian Foundation at the press conference. The record gift will support the University Center for the Arts, an academic facility for programs in music, theatre and dance, as well as enhance and renovate Hughes Stadium.

"The magnitude of this gift demonstrates the Bohemian Foundation’s dramatic commitment to shaping the future of academics and athletics at Colorado State. This generous gift, a highlight in Colorado State’s history, will propel our arts and athletics programs to a new level. We are indebted to the Bohemian Foundation and to its president, Pat Stryker, for making the future of athletics and the arts at Colorado State very bright indeed," Yates said. "Colorado State University can be proud of the gift for what it will bring to the institution as well as for the testament it provides to the quality of our academic and athletic programs."

The gift includes a $4.9 million commitment to the University Center for the Arts and a $15.2 million commitment for the renovation of Hughes Stadium, a project which includes the naming of the playing field at Hughes Stadium for football coach Sonny Lubick.

The $4.9 million designated for the University Center for the Arts will allow the university to complete additional performance and instructional venues and to construct a common lobby and circulation area adjoining the new Edna Rizley Griffin Concert Hall. Each of these spaces is critical to support Colorado State’s academic programs in music, theatre and dance. Eight thousand students from majors representing all academic departments participate in these programs. (See attached release for complete project/gift description.)

The $15.2 million designated for the renovation of Hughes Stadium will enhance the football program, which has achieved national prominence under Lubick. The gift will provide artificial turf both at the practice field and at Hughes Stadium; enhance and expand club-level seating and suites; create more concession stands and restrooms, add additional stadium seating, a giant video scoreboard on the south end of the stadium and an auxiliary scoreboard at the north end; and improve parking areas. (See attached release for complete project/gift description.)

"The inspirational leadership of people like Al Yates and Sonny Lubick has propelled Colorado State University forward to become a great university," Stryker said. "By supporting excellence in academics and athletics, the Bohemian Foundation recognizes the critical role Colorado State will play in the future of our state, even in times of economic downturn. By supporting two top priorities for the university with a cash gift, we are dedicating resources that may be used immediately to continue Colorado State’s growth as a great university."

The Bohemian Foundation

The Bohemian Foundation is a private family foundation focused on improving the quality of life in Fort Collins through efforts to strengthen the future of the community’s youth, building the capacity of organizations working together in the care and improvement of the community, and strengthening the community by building on a tradition of citizen involvement. The foundation strives to create an environment where youth see themselves as a success and have the opportunities to function as productive, contributing citizens.

Bohemian Foundation Facts

  • Named after the Bohemian movement in Paris in the early 1900s, the Bohemian Foundation plans to emulate the creativity, imagination and spirit for which the Bohemians were known.
  • President: Pat Stryker.
  • Focus: Functioning as a catalyst for public awareness, involving people and organizations in working together to make the community a better place to live, and encouraging and enabling area youth to access the resources that will help them grow and thrive as productive members of the community.

The Foundation’s symbol is a lighthouse: A guidepost to safe passage, a lighthouse stands firm and strong.

  • Goals:
    • To be a catalyst for public awareness of issues facing our community;
    • To involve people in working together to make our community a better place to live;
    • To encourage and enable our youth to access the resources that will help them grow and thrive as productive members of our community.
  • To achieve these goals, the Foundation is strategic with its program areas, researching needs and possible approaches to solutions.
  • The Foundation also actively focuses on specific programs, either partnering with existing organizations or initiating its own projects.
  • The Pharos Fund within the Bohemian Foundation provides grants up to $25,000 for a wide range of not-for-profit organizations in Fort Collins.
    • The focus areas for the Pharos Fund are: public awareness of issues, getting people and groups to work together, and youth.
    • One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, "Pharos" is derived from the great lighthouse in Alexandria.
  • Stryker and the Bohemian Foundation are dedicated to continuing its history of caring and giving back to the community. It is their goal to focus on preventative approaches to community problems rather than reactive ones.