Paul Mata and CSUSB alumni think about how many miles one ...

Artful journeysFor the love of their crafts, two American icons set up scholarships for CSUSB studentsSam MaloofRain is not allowed in the forecast of a Maloof party.On Jan. 26, 2008, and under clear skies, Cal State SanBernardino and the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundationfor Arts and Crafts celebrated Sam Maloof’s 92ndbirthday. It’s always a party when Sam Maloof is theguest of honor.More than 300 guests attended the birthday celebrationfor the master woodworker, crowding into CSUSB’sRobert V. Fullerton Art Museum. The event attractedmany first-time visitors to campus. The gathering wasalso the opening of the first-ever Maloof exhibit at CalState San Bernardino. Besides the exhibition preview,guests attended the rare auction of a Maloof walnutrocker. Because of the typical six- to seven-year waitliston his famous rocking chairs, Maloof only agrees to auctiona rocker for very special occasions. And a specialoccasion it was. The event raised more than $200,000 tosupport the Maloof Foundation, establish an art scholarshipin the name of Sam and Beverly Maloof at CSUSBand to create an acquisition fund in the name of SamMaloof at the Robert V. Fullerton Art Museum.The anticipation and enthusiasm was high as everyonewaited to see who would come away with a pieceof furniture as comfortable as it was beautiful. As thebidders for the rocker competed, Sam agreed tomake a second chair, this one in maple. The eventproved to be a unique opportunity for both theMaloof Foundation and Cal State San Bernardino.Gaining exposure among a very differentaudience, the university was able to host a celebrationof grand proportions in honor of thebeloved woodworker. More than anything,the event helped to cement the relationshipbetween the Maloof Foundation and CSUSB.The rain did begin to fall as the very lastguests left the party. But the smile on Sam’sface and on the faces of many there forecast abright future for other partnerships betweenthe Maloof Foundation and CSUSB. ●A father’sinspirationSince the seventh grade she knewone day she would become a doctor.That has been her focus.Graduating from Sultana High Schoolin Hesperia, Audra Wise already hadbeen accepted to a university and wasall set to go. But when problems aroseshe was forced to consider other options.As it happened, Audra and herparents had just attended the 2002inaugural Press-Enterprise dinner, anevent sponsored by Cal State San Bernardinoin partnership with The Press-Enterprise and held for high-achievingarea high school students. At the dinner,CSUSB President Albert Karnig toldstudents about the Presidential AcademicExcellence Scholarship, a prestigiousaward designed to reward andreinforce exceptional academic performanceamong students who graduatein the top one percent of their class.Each PAES student receives a $5,000annual scholarship, renewable forup to four years if they choose to attendCSUSB.For some time, Audra had been underthe impression that Cal State SanBernardino was mainly a business university.But when she discovered thatmany of the university’s programs wereamendable to her pre-med goals, Audrawas convinced and decided to enroll.But it was during her first year at CSUSBthat Audra’s father suffered a heart attack.He passed away before he eversaw his daughter graduate and then entermedical school. Still, he had been aninspiration. After Audra and her motherand father had toured CSUSB followingThe Press-Enterprise dinner, her fatherdid more research on the presiden-(Continued on next page)csusb magazine | 21