Support SFHC

Alumni and community leaders recognize the honors college and its students as a symbol of excellence in our region as well as an important part of the Central Valley’s future. Growing private support for this program will be necessary to keep pace with the rising costs of tuition and housing. By cultivating new and ongoing partnerships, the Smittcamp Family Honors College will continue to attract the best and brightest young minds in the Central Valley and beyond.

  • We are extremely thankful for the continued investments made by the Smittcamp family. However, growing additional private support will be necessary to keep pace with the rising costs of tuition and housing. Your donation will directly support the President's Honors Scholarships.

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  • The Smittcamp Family Honors College Student Success Fund provides essential support to address unmet needs of students, including research and travel funding, technological support and other educationally-related expenses.

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If you are interested in exploring funding options and opportunities to establish a new scholarship to benefit honors college students, please contact:

Becky Brown
Director of Development
beckyb@csufresno.edu
(559) 278-1877

In addition to a gift to benefit scholarships, you can also support the success of honors college students by mentoring a current student, connecting students to internship opportunities, and/or sharing your real-world experience at our weekly colloquium. It is as simple as filling out this form to connect with us today!

 
“Smittcamp has given me the opportunity to really focus on my academic studies . . . so eventually I can one day help our Valley and serve our Valley.”
— Alyssa Askins, B.S. Nursing
 
 
 

Day of Giving 2026

 
 

This year saw a big change for Fresno State’s Day of Giving. Normally held in November, the 24-hour fundraising event was moved to spring in 2025 and was a tremendous success. In total, Fresno State supporters contributed a total of $615,879 for student success—a 30.6% increase over the previous Day of Giving, which surpassed the previous record of $550,366 in 2019. In addition to hourly challenge and bonus gifts, supporters of the Honors College donated a total of $32,315—an increase of $5,051 from Day of Giving 2023!

Day of Giving 2026 will be here before you know it! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Two funds will be highlighted during Day of Giving 2026, both of which impact our scholars and their educational journey:

Smittcamp Family Honors College Student Success Fund

High impact practices such as research, conference travel and presentations, and internships are an essential component of the undergraduate experience. Established in 2021, the Smittcamp Family Honors College Student Success Fund provides direct support to scholars who have the opportunity to participate in high-impact practices but lack the necessary resources to do so. During the 2024-2025 academic year, two scholars were supported by the Student Success Fund. 

In November 2024, Hassoon Sarwar presented his research on using salivary DNA as a biomarker for early gastric cancer detection at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Conducted under the guidance of Dr. David Wong from UCLA’s School of Dentistry, his work focuses on applying computational tools to improve early cancer detection. At ABRCMS, Hassoon connected with researchers exploring innovative cancer research methods and discovered an NIH-sponsored data science training program that aligned with his interests and which he later pursued.

In January 2025, Catie Corchado presented her research on how math recitation sessions impact peer engagement and success in college calculus at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Seattle, Washington. She also attended sessions on undergraduate math education that deepened her understanding of systemic challenges in the field. The experience helped her find her voice as a researcher, overcome imposter syndrome, and inspired her new career as a high school math teacher.

Smittcamp Family Honors College Alumni Endowment

Along with many other scholarships, the Smittcamp Family Honors College Alumni Endowment helps to support 200 annual President's Honors Scholarship awards which will cover educational expenses and dorm housing, helping to ensure that the Honors College will continue to attract the best and brightest young minds in the Central Valley and beyond.

Will this be YOUR year to join us as a challenge donor? Please contact Becky Brown at beckyb@csufresno.edu or 559-278-1877 for details. 

The Honors College was established in 1998 with a generous gift from the late Earl and Muriel Smittcamp. We are extremely thankful for the continued investments made by the Smittcamp family. However, growing private support is necessary to keep pace with the rising costs of tuition and housing. It is supporters like you that make it possible to welcome 50 new scholars each year into the SFHC family.