[econgrad]

UC Davis art school receives $1M
Sacramento Business Journal - 11:51 AM PDT Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The University of California Davis art department has received a $1 million donation, the largest in the department's history.

Freedmond "Pete" Gadberry left the school $1 million in his estate to support art students. The department, which has faced budget shortfalls in recent years, will use the gift to establish an endowment to offer continued monetary support for students.

"Having this gift from Pete Gadberry fall in our laps was amazing for us," said Lucy Puls, art department chair, in a news release. "This level of support with distinguish the program by providing support for our best students for decades and decades to come. Gadberry's generosity will leave a legacy in its impact on UC Davis' venerable art program."

Gadberry earned his master's degree in fine arts from UC Davis in 1967. He later taught fine arts at Napa's Vintage High School. He died in June 2006.

Before his death, Gadberry told UC Davis assistant dean of college relations and development Maureen Miller the art program left an impact on his life. "He told me, 'The art department was a place of great experimentation and freedom. I never forgot how much I liked that atmosphere at UC Davis and how important it was to me,'"' Miller said.