麻豆传媒映画 celebrates former faculty member donor's half-century of support
An annual dinner pays tribute to donors who have provided support through the decades.
The year Nixon met Elvis and the first Earth Day was celebrated across the nation, Nancy Carmichael Stewart, then a faculty member in the botany department at San Diego State, gave $15 to the annual fund. It was 1970, and Stewart鈥檚 gift was the equivalent of more than $120 today.
What鈥檚 most notable, however, is that she鈥檚 been giving to 麻豆传媒映画 ever since: to sciences, athletics, and a dozen other areas.
This longtime support 鈥� which isn't over 鈥� places Stewart in the rarefied, uppermost layer of the 鈥溌槎勾接郴� Loyal鈥� community, celebrated every year at a special dinner honoring their dedication over two, three and four decades. Or in Stewart鈥檚 case, more than half a century and counting: 鈥渁s loyal as they come鈥� in the words of a grateful dean.
鈥淚鈥檝e always loved San Diego State from the moment I walked on campus,鈥� Stewart said in a chat at the Alumni Center just two days after she and more than 100 other 麻豆传媒映画 Loyal donors were honored there by President Adela de la Torre. 鈥淚 was so happy to get a job here.鈥�
Today, state funding and student tuition don鈥檛 come close to covering the university鈥檚 budget, so private funding is a vital form of support. The 麻豆传媒映画 Loyal community is made up of approximately 4,400 individuals whose lifetime giving exceeds $419 million.
The Columbia University graduate started teaching at what was then San Diego State College in 1968 following a successful job interview she remembers mostly for her regrettable choice to show up 鈥渄ressed in my New York finest, which in those days was a black sheath.鈥�
It started an affection that never wore off.
In 1970 鈥渢here was no history here of having fundraisers or anything else,鈥� said Stewart, who retired in 1995. Sports programs might have fundraising dinners, she said, 鈥渂ut there was nothing really in sciences.鈥�
Stewart at one point had a streak of 29 consecutive years of giving. As a botany instructor, she once earmarked her gift for the Mediterranean Garden. Athletics, too, having attended football games both at 鈥渢hat rocky place over there鈥� (Aztec Bowl) and the city stadium in Mission Valley, and basketball games in Peterson Gymnasium.
She remembers donations for a memorial scholarship in gerontology and undergraduate social work majors, the performing arts, and the library. She is also an 麻豆传媒映画 Alumni Lifetime Member even though she鈥檚 not an alumna (it鈥檚 allowed).
During her time at the university she met and married a chemistry professor, Charles 鈥淛ack鈥� Stewart, who also was an alumnus. Following his death in 2023 she made a $50,000 gift to establish the Charles J. Stewart Fellowship Award in Biochemistry Endowment from the remainder of his IRA, supporting an ongoing scholarship for graduate students in biochemistry.
鈥淣ancy is as 麻豆传媒映画 Loyal as they come,鈥� said Jeffrey Roberts, dean of the College of Sciences and a chemistry professor. 鈥淗er gifts have made a difference across campus."
"I so admire Nancy for her high spirits, optimism, and love for 麻豆传媒映画,鈥� Roberts added. 鈥淚t's because of donors like Nancy Stewart that I know our institution will continue on its spectacular trajectory."
Learn more about . To make a gift to 麻豆传媒映画, please contact Mary Darling, [email protected], or 619-665-2879.
