Fall 2021 Newsletter

Dear alumni, families, and friends of the Smittcamp Family Honors College (SFHC),

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Honorable Times! You are receiving this email because of your connection to SFHC at Fresno State. Thank you for being a part of our family! It has been an honor for me to be part of this family since 2004 and to serve as its director since July 2014. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you updated about what is happening with SFHC and, as such, we intend for these newsletters to highlight the achievements of our amazing scholars, alumni, and faculty, as well as to provide upcoming event information and general SFHC updates.

This inaugural issue is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Robert (Bob) Smittcamp who passed away unexpectedly on March 4, 2021 at the age of 79. The Honors College is grateful for the generosity of the Smittcamp Family and will always cherish the memory of Bob, along with those of his parents, Earl and Muriel Smittcamp, as some of the most caring and dedicated individuals who have made such a transformative, and lasting, impact upon the lives of young people here in the Central Valley. May their souls rest in peace.

The late Earl and Muriel Smittcamp, whose generous gift of $1 million made it possible for SFHC to be established in Fall 1998, and other members of their family (including the late Bob Smittcamp), exemplify the highest standard of leadership, innovative thinking, and personal courage that our scholars strive to achieve. Earl and Muriel both believed in the value of education as “the best foundation for career success and lifelong personal well-being.” They also believed that an honors college experience should be available to the young people of Central Valley and beyond, as a way of providing students the opportunity of becoming the best at everything they do. Earl and Muriel’s children have carried on their parents’ legacy of generosity and sincere interest in the success of the SFHC Scholars. Now in its 23rd year of service, SFHC is recognized as one of the top programs of its kind in the western United States and is unique in the entire 23-campus California State University system.

For some of our scholars, the President’s Honors Scholarship is the only way they would be able to achieve the dream of a college education. For others, this scholarship means the difference between joining a research lab and working overtime at a part-time job. The President’s Honors Scholarship is tangible proof for families and their community that we believe in their scholar, recognize their collective potential, and wish to help them build a bridge to their future.

The catalytic impact of the honors college on the Valley. Over 90% of our admitted Scholars come from the four-county areas of Fresno, Kings, Madera, and Tulare. In addition, more than 55% of SFHC alumni live in the Central Valley (Stockton to Bakersfield), and 70% live in California. Our alumni are professionals who work in a variety of fields including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, engineering, teaching, etc.) or are entrepreneurs who own their own businesses. SFHC alumni are leaders who positively impact the communities they live in, including those right here in the Central Valley.

The Smittcamp Family Honors College has earned a place of distinction as the intellectual heart and soul of Fresno State. This has much to do with an evolution of honors culture on campus. That is because SFHC Scholars are willing to take intellectual risks both in their disciplines and outside of it: they enjoy the challenge. This attitude towards learning is reflected in SFHC’s mission statement that reads as follows: “The Smittcamp Family Honors College is dedicated to identifying, enhancing, cultivating, and creating learning opportunities for academically accomplished and highly motivated students. Its mission is to raise the level of educational opportunity of California State University, Fresno and to develop in its graduates the leadership on which our future depends.” This is, indeed, aligned with the University’s mission to serve as an excellent, engaged, regional, comprehensive institution.

Thank you for your continued support of SFHC–one of the greatest treasures at Fresno State and the Valley.