GALA RAISES FUNDS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
Posted on June 7, 2011
See photos from the
2011 President’s Gala. A record-setting crowd of 340
University friends, alumni, faculty, staff and students had a grand time “Puttin’
On the Ritz” June 4 at the 2011 President’s Gala.
The 18th annual
black-tie event, held once again at the Omni William Penn hotel in Pittsburgh, benefits
student scholarships and caps off the annual Alumni Weekend celebration. “We extend a very sincere
‘thank you’ to each and
every one of you for joining us and helping us raise much-needed scholarship
dollars for our deserving students,” said President Angelo Armenti, Jr., who
hosted the event with First Lady Barbara Armenti. The President’s Gala has raised
nearly $1.4 million since its inception in 1994. Over the years, net proceeds
of more than $750,000 have provided scholarships for deserving Cal U students. Honorary chairs for the gala
were Robert Lippencott ’66 and his wife, Suzanne. A retired Secret Service agent — and a former Cal U
scholarship recipient himself — Lippencott is a member of the board for the
Foundation for California University. “We know that each of you feels the way we do about
our University and our students, and that ‘paying it forward’ is a concept that
all of us understand,” he told the guests. “Through your generosity, we will be
able to provide much-needed support for our students.” The 2011 faculty award winners
honored during the event were: Honorary chairs are Robert ’66 and Suzanne Lippencott. Gwendolyn Simmons, a longtime
member of the University’s Council of Trustees, accepted the Lillian M. Bassi
Core Values Award. A leader in numerous civic organizations, especially in the
Mon Valley, the Monongahela resident has been a generous University benefactor
and a strong advocate for Cal U and its students. After dinner in the Omni’s
Grand Ballroom, guests at the gala enjoyed a dessert bar, casino games and
dancing to the Benny Benack Orchestra. They also placed bids on more than 50
silent auction items, including vacation stays and themed gift baskets. Proceeds from the silent
auction added to the scholarship fund, as well. “Everyone seemed to enjoy
getting dressed up and attending a fancy, fun-filled event,” said Craig
Butzine, vice president for Marketing and University Relations. “But the real winners are the Cal U students who will
receive scholarship dollars raised at the gala — an
event they can look forward to attending themselves once they’ve established
their own careers.”
