Awarding Excellence

Bud & Jan Richter Award of Excellence established for university supporters

By Inga Lukaviciute

A room in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development could hardly contain the crowd of more than 60 guests attending the Richter dedication ceremony Friday.

Bud and Jan Richter, longtime Fresno residents and Fresno State supporters, have been honored with a dedication ceremony and a reception for their support to the university and the establishment of Bud and Jan Richter Awards of Excellence in Education.

University President John Welty recognized the Richters’ contributions through their awards as highly beneficial to the Kremen School of Education as well as the entire Fresno State. Welty thanked the Richters for taking the opportunity to “transform the university.”

“ Today is our opportunity to say thank you,” said Paul Beare, dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development, in his opening speech. Beare thanked Mr. and Mrs. Richters’ for their commitment to the high quality of education, faculty and staff at Fresno State aim for.

“ We wanted to help youth who are being raised at home with no support,” Bud Richter said. The Richters said they decided that supporting educators, who prepare teachers for the elementary, middle and high school systems, was what they wanted to do after they sold their business and traveled.

“ This [the Kremen School of Education] is the only school giving a significant award to faculty and that is what makes this a special school,” Richter said. Education is a great place to make a difference and a great place to invest, he added.

Bud Richter was awarded an honorary doctorate of Fresno State Doctor of Humane Letters, May 23, 1998.

The recipients of the Awards of Excellence were recognized as many of them came to the event to thank the people who made such awards possible.

Carol Fry Bohlin, Curriculum and Instruction, 2002-03 award recipient, thanked Bud and Jan Richter on behalf of former award recipients. Bohlin said the Richter award of Excellence was special to her, since she values the excellence in education, and Richter stands for integrity and standards.

“ The most important aspect of this award is what it means to us and people walking these [Kremen School of Education] hallways,” Bohlin said. “It honors us all, validates education.”

Don Leet of the economics department praised the award for its design to be awarded to not only faculty of the Kremen School of Education but also faculty at Fresno State. Richter Award of Excellence means partnership, which brings all sides of education on campus together, Leet said.

Human resources is the most important in every aspect of economics, and that is what this award is all about, Leet said.

Most of the Richter Award of Excellence recipients who came to the ceremony agreed that this award is one of the biggest honors since it recognizes excellence in education.

Janell Tatsumura, a liberal studies major, said she was humbled by receiving this award, and inspired by the staff and faculty in the Kremen school of education.

Bud and Jan Richter Awards of Excellence were first awarded in 1999. Three monetary awards are given out each year to recognize those who strive for excellence.

A faculty member of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development, faculty at Fresno State who are involved with students working on attaining their teaching credential and one staff member in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development get selected from a number of nominations every spring.

A call for nominations will be sent out campus-wide in December. The winners for the next awards will be announced in March.