In response to CSU President Tony Frank’s conditional go-ahead for the on-campus stadium Monday, billionaire philanthropist and Bohemian Foundation founder Pat Stryker released a statement confirming that she has not committed any financial support to the project.
“Instead, I am focused on other philanthropic activities through Bohemian Foundation’s programs and initiatives,” Stryker said in the statement.
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In a campus-wide e-mail explaining his reasoning about the stadium, Frank said he hopes for the university to raise $125 million of the estimated $250 million needed for the project through private donations.
Stryker, whose net worth is currently $1.4 billion, is one of the heirs to medical device and software company Stryker Corp., which was founded by her grandfather, Homer Stryker.
She has donated more than $30 million to CSU for past projects, including an engineering research laboratory, an endowed professorship in mathematics and the University Center for the Arts, according to Forbes.com.
In 2003, Stryker donated $15.2 million to the CSU athletic department for improvements to Hughes Stadium, according to an article on RamNation.com.
In appreciation of her support for the university, Stryker was conferred an honorary doctorate by CSU in May 2011.
“From the University Center for the Arts, to Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium, to Engineering, to the community in which so many of our faculty, staff, and students make their homes, Pat Stryker’s generosity has funded facilities and programs that have fostered education, nurtured research and discovery, entertained us, and made our spirits soar,” Frank said in a 2011 news release.
“With her characteristic grace and humility, she has, quite simply, made Colorado State University a better place for those of us here today and generations to follow.”
To many Fort Collins residents, Stryker is best known for the Bohemian Foundation, which provides a variety of grants to a variety of community projects, most notably, those focusing in the arts. The Bohemian Foundation is also responsible for NewWestFest, which this year was headlined by Michael Franti and Spearhead.
Last year, Stryker was named one of the most liberal billionaires in the country by Forbes. She has given $2,225,600 to liberal causes since 2005, according to an article on Forbes.com.
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Nine months ago, when the discussion surrounding the stadium was in its infancy, Stryker released a statement that did not mention any commitments to funding the project.
“Whether the Rams stay anchored at their current off-campus stadium or ultimately move to a new home on-campus, I look forward to cheering them onto victory and I have faith in the future success of the program,” Stryker said in January.
Despite not offering financial backing to the project, in her most recent statement, Stryker did offer support for Frank and the process surrounding how he came to his stadium decision.
“… I trust that Dr. Tony Frank is proposing a plan he believes is in the best interest of CSU,” Stryker wrote. “I have no doubt he thoughtfully weighed all concerns presented by both sides, and will continue to take those issues into account as the process moves forward.”
Editor in Chief Allison Sylte can be reached at news@collegian.com.
