University Advancement

Public Relations and Strategic Communications

NEWS RELEASE

Nancy and Joseph Owens Establish Legacy at
Cal State Northridge with Endowment of $80,000

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2006) -- Nancy and Joseph Owens are spending the golden years of their retirement exploring, learning and giving back. While the former Cal State Northridge professor and her husband are filling their days with hiking, traveling, road trips and online classes, they are also reaching out to help others receive an education.

The Owenses have pledged $40,000 to CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development and $40,000 to the College of Engineering and Computer Science, establishing a legacy at the university.

Nancy Owens taught in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences for 36 years. Specializing in apparel design and merchandising, Owens served as president of the faculty senate from 1994-98 and of the California Faculty Association’s Northridge chapter from 1983-87 and again from 1989-90. She also acted as advisor of the university’s chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu, the leading honor society for students in the human sciences. Owens will continue to support the society with her gift of $40,000, creating the Kappa Omicron Nu Scholarship Endowment.

"When Joe and I were going to college, we both had scholarships and we remember how much it helped us out," Owens said. "We think that education is extremely important and that is why we choose to spend our money to help others gain an education as well."

Two Kappa Omicron Nu Scholarships will be awarded annually: one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student, both in the amount of $1,500. Students must be in good academic standing, a major in Family and Consumer Sciences or one of its options and meet the academic requirements for membership in Kappa Omicron Nu.

&quoBy contributing to this scholarship, I wanted to make sure that the research, scholarship and service that Kappa Omicron Nu promotes continues to be recognized," Owens said.

Nancy Owens continues to serve on thesis committees for graduate students and acts as the vice president for scholarships for the International Textile and Apparel Association. She also comes to campus once a week to work on electronically cataloging the university’s historical costume collection.

Nancy met future husband Joseph while both were pursuing master’s degrees at the University of Illinois.

Joseph Owens spent his career as an electrical engineer for Hughes Aircraft, never forgetting how his college scholarships helped pave his future. To help other students out, Owens founded the Hughes Solid State Microwave Laboratory Scholarship in 1989, allowing employees to contribute donations that would be equally matched by Hughes Aircraft.

Joseph Owens chose to create the Joe and Nancy Owens Engineering Scholarship Endowment, which will enable the long-term funding of the Joe and Nancy Engineering Scholarship in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The $40,000 endowment will fund an annual $2,000 scholarship given to an undergraduate student who majors in engineering, demonstrates financial need and qualifies for the Dean’s Scholar Program.

"Joe found his experience with the Hughes scholarship so rewarding that he decided to create an endowment that would sustain an annual interest for a long time," said Tammy Glenn, director of development for the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The Owenses said they are proud to create their endowments at Cal State Northridge because of its rich diversity.

"What we like about Northridge is that everyone comes," said Nancy Owens. "CSUN has a big diversity within the faculty, staff and students, with many of the students being the first in their family to attend college. We want to continue to encourage that and hopefully this endowment will allow that to be possible."

California State University, Northridge has 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 63 bachelor’s and 48 master’s degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.