Hayward: Chabot College Receives Historic $5 Mil Endowment From Former Trustee

Bay City News

Chabot College in Hayward received its largest financial donation in history this week when its board approved a $5 million gift from a former trustee, the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees announced Thursday.

The gift came from Edward Martins, who will now see a library at the school named for both he and his wife Donna.

Chabot College is a public community college in Hayward that is part of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District. It offers over 175 degree and certificate programs.

Martins was one of the first and longest serving trustees of the college district's board, previously named the South County Community College District, the college said.

Martins attended the University of California, Berkeley before being drafted into the U.S. Army. Following his discharge, he returned to U.C. Berkeley where he majored in business. In 1953, after graduating from the University of San Francisco Law School, he began a law practice in Hayward.

In 1970, Martins and his wife formed the Donna L. and Edward E. Martins Foundation.

The support for Chabot College will include numerous student scholarships and the establishment of two faculty awards for excellence, the college said.

"Education is the foundation upon which dreams are built," said Martins in a statement released by the school. "It was a deeply proud moment for me to witness my beloved wife Donna's graduation from Chabot College, an institution I have cherished and wholeheartedly embraced throughout my life. I hope that this endowment will empower future generations of students, fostering their potential and ensuring that Chabot College remains a beacon of opportunity and growth in our community."

The $5 million gift was received by the Friends of Chabot College Foundation. The gift will be endowed with plans for the annual income to be used to support scholarships, programs, and services at the college, a spokesperson for the school said.

According to the college, Martins was always an avid reader. As a philanthropist, he funded public library programs that support childhood literacy and received the California Public Libraries Advocates Award for his advocacy.

The Martins family name will now be linked to Chabot College's new library and learning center, which was celebrated with a community ribbon-cutting event on Oct. 15.

Multiple professional athletes and performers have attended Chabot College, including Tom Hanks.

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