IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The future Cal State San Bernardino College of Education will be named after a couple who have donated $8.4 million to the university.
The James and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education is expected to be approved by the 25-member California State University board of trustees when it meets next month, according to a statement on the university’s website.
It will be the fourth school of education in the Cal State University system to have a named attached to it.
“Cal State San Bernardino is blessed to have our College of Education named after Jim and Judy Rodriguez Watson,” said Tomas D. Morales, president of Cal State San Bernardino, in the statement. “They are good friends and dedicated supporters, especially in their efforts in education, student literacy and student art.”
The Watsons’ donation will support student scholarships and establish a new Center for STEM Education. The STEM Center will reach out to K-12 students in the Inland region, and will include a Model STEM Exploratorium and a teacher residency program.
STEM stands for the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics into one academic discipline.
“Judy and I are honored to make this gift to support the College of Education at California State University, San Bernardino,” said James Watson in the statement “We are passionate about education, and we are especially proud of the impact that the university is making in the Inland Empire by providing access to higher education.”
