A year of record-breaking philanthropy fuels growth, reaches massive milestone for generosity

For San Diego State University, 2025 has been a year marked by record-breaking growth and achievement in areas ranging from applications and enrollment to degree conferrals and student persistence. Helping to fuel this ascent has been the generosity of SDSU’s community of supporters, nearly 13,000 of whom gave a record $142.2 million to the university in fiscal year 2024-25. 

The giving not only set a new standard, but also propelled SDSU past another incredible milestone: exceeding $1 billion in total philanthropic support since the arrival of President Adela de la Torre in 2018. 

Reaching $1 billion was an achievement built not on a single transformational gift, but on a culture of support and years of generosity from thousands of alumni, parents, faculty, staff and community partners who trust and believe in what SDSU is doing for the region and the world. 

The amount of annual giving has more than tripled since 2000 and, in April, the school’s SDSU Loyal program honored more than 4,000 supporters who have made donations for more than 20 years. Multiple donors had given for more than 50 years and the group of Loyals totalled 34,688 years of giving. 

“The loyalty and trust of our supporters is both humbling and energizing,” said de la Torre, who has led by example when it comes to generosity. She and her husband, Stephen Bartlett, have given over $500,000 in gifts to 14 different SDSU causes since her arrival, including $255,000 to create a student financial assistance endowment; over $140,000 toward an endowment to support the Center for Mesoamerican Studies in Oaxaca, Mexico; $50,000 in support of the Athletics’ Women’s Fund; and $25,000 to KPBS, among others. 

“It is my greatest privilege to invest in SDSU, its programs and its people ― our faculty, staff, and students,” de la Torre continued. “My husband and I believe with all our hearts that every gift to SDSU changes lives, strengthens communities and fuels the innovation and understanding that will create brighter futures around the world. It is so rewarding to see the tangible impact we can have.”

Opportunities for giving are as diverse as the priorities they support. Some give to students, whether through scholarships and basic-needs assistance or through career services and athletics. Faculty-directed gifts toward endowed chairs and professorships help attract and retain top teachers and mentors, while program-specific gifts create high-impact learning experiences and community-engaged projects. And capital gifts help bring to life transformative efforts like SDSU Mission Valley, the new sciences building, and other new cutting-edge facilities that will serve generations of students to come.

Figures for giving in the record-breaking fiscal year 2024-25 are captured in the annual Impact of Philanthropy report. There were over 17,000 total gifts from 12,754 donors, more than 5,500 of whom were first-time donors. Giving toward scholarships – including 43 new endowed scholarships – enabled the distribution of $6.5 million in financial aid, helping nearly three-quarters of SDSU graduates to never take out a student loan. 

“Our donors make gifts in areas they are passionate about and they know that they are making a difference in the lives of our students,” said SDSU Vice President of University Relations and Development Adrienne Vargas. “Their gifts lead directly to academic excellence, rewarding college careers and a lifetime of opportunity for SDSU graduates.”

Ultimately, it is that lifetime of opportunity that is the true measure of SDSU’s impact. The Carnegie Foundation recently named SDSU an “Opportunity University” for the social mobility its students enjoy.

A new economic impact report by the California State University found it takes an average of only six years for SDSU graduates to recover their total educational investments while they earn an average of $505,000 more during their careers than those without a college degree. It’s an annual rate of return more than double the 30-year average of the U.S. stock market. For students and supporters, SDSU offers quite a value. 

“Our supporters are a community of very special people who invest in SDSU’s mission and vision,” said de la Torre. “They trust that their gifts will be put to good use, and that their return on investment will be measured not just in dollars and cents, but in lives changed for the better.”