Joe Blake makes $5 million gift to CSU’s College of Liberal Arts

Contact for reporters:
Tony Phifer
(970) 491-7712
tony.phifer@colostate.edu

Correction: CSU’s State Your Purpose campaign has raised more than $1.2 billion for Colorado State University.

Chancellor Emeritus Joe Blake has made a $5 million gift to Colorado State University’s College of Liberal Arts.

This gift, the largest in the college’s history, is in recognition of its outstanding, high-quality faculty, students and leadership. It was Blake’s intention that this gift would help cast a bright light on the incredible faculty and excellence in the College of Liberal Arts.

“I have nothing but the highest regard for the faculty at CSU. They’re just remarkable. And how do you enhance their prestige and their value better than bringing the best young minds for them to light up,” he said.

This $5 million gift helped the College of Liberal Arts achieve its campaign goal and is part of the State Your Purpose campaign, which has raised more than $1.2 billion for Colorado State University.

“Joe’s passion for Colorado State is just remarkable,” said President Joyce McConnell. “His belief in the transformative power of education becomes apparent to anyone within moments of meeting him. We are a better institution because of Joe and his vision for CSU.”

A respected member of the Denver and Colorado business communities, Blake was appointed to the Colorado State University System Board of Governors in 2006 and was named the system’s first sole chancellor in 2009. He served in this role until 2011, when he retired.

State Your Purpose: The Campaign for Colorado State University – the university’s first $1 billion campaign – continues through the end of the 2020 fiscal year, which coincides with the conclusion of a yearlong celebration of the 150th anniversary of CSU’s founding in 1870. The campaign reached its goal 16 months early.