CSUSB college formally renamed the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education
Cal State San Bernardino formally unveiled the renamed College of Education as the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education on Nov. 1, in recognition of the longtime support of the Watsons and their
transformative gift of $8.4 million to the college.
During the ceremony in the college’s atrium packed with university faculty, staff, administrators, local elected officials, friends and family, James Watson said, “We have enjoyed our experience here for over 20 years.
“We have been blessed more than the university has been blessed by what we have been able to provide financially and in our involvement,” he said. “It’s truly been a wonderful experience for Judy and I. We understand the value of education, and the vital role Cal State San Bernardino has in the Inland Empire in providing an affordable and world-class education.”
In naming the college after the Watsons, it becomes the second named college at CSUSB. The College of Business was renamed in 2016 to the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration to honor businessman and philanthropist Jack H. Brown.
CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales said the education college is just the fourth in the California State University named for a person, and Judy Rodriguez Watson said it was the first in the entire CSU to bear the name of a Hispanic person, which brought a standing ovation.
“Jim and Judy are no strangers to philanthropy,” Morales said. “They constantly give their time and their resources to better their communities. And their continuous support of Cal State San Bernardino has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
The Watson’s gift will support student scholarships and establish a new Center for STEM Education. The STEM Center will be the hub for outreach to K-12 students in the region and will include a Model STEM Exploratorium and a teacher residency program, Morales said. The gift will also support Project Impact, a new program in the college to recruit and prepare teachers to serve underrepresented students in public schools.
Funds will also be used to enhance the Watson & Associates Literacy Center’s efforts in the Inland Empire. The center assists students in K-12 improve their reading, listening and writing skills, and is housed in the college.
And, Morales said, it will establish the Dean’s Endowment Fund to support special projects by faculty and staff. “This Dean’s Endowed Fund is the first for our campus,” he said.
“This fall marked the public launch of Cal State San Bernardino’s $200 million, Our Defining Moment: the Campaign for CSUSB,” Morales said. “And Jim and Judy’s generous donation has made outsized impact in our progress to reaching this goal.”
Watch a tribute video to
James R. Watson and
Judy Rodriguez Watson