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Hayward, Calif., October 17, 2024 –The Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees approved a $5M gift from Edward E. Martins at its regular board meeting on October 15, 2024. It is the largest gift in Chabot College history. Additionally, the board voted to acknowledge the gift by naming the college’s newest building the Donna and Edward Martins Library and Learning Center.
“Education is the foundation upon which dreams are built,” said Mr. Martins. “Today, I am honored to support Chabot College, believing that this institution can make a powerful difference in the lives of the residents of Hayward and the surrounding areas. 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."
Mr. 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 significance of this generous gift is underscored by Mr. Martins’ personal connection and dedication to Chabot College following decades of giving to the Friends of Chabot College Foundation, Chabot’s charitable arm, in support of student scholarships and services.
Edward E. Martins attended the University of California, Berkeley before being drafted into the United States Army. Following his discharge, he returned to UC Berkeley where he majored in business. In 1953, after graduating from USF Law School, he began a law practice in Hayward. He later earned the prestigious Governor’s Service Award for his pro bono work with underserved individuals.
Edward Martins and his wife Donna married in 1953 and were residents of Hayward, CA. Seeing a need for charitable work in Hayward and the surrounding areas, in 1970 they formed the Donna L. and Edward E. Martins Foundation, Inc. The support for Chabot College is notable and includes numerous student scholarships and the establishment of two faculty awards for excellence.
“The Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees was honored to accept the generous gift from Mr. Martins,” stated Dr. Hal Gin, president of the board of trustees for the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and longtime member of the Friends of Chabot College Foundation board. “Mr. Martins has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to Chabot College, its mission, and the students we serve, so it is fitting that the Martins name will now be a prominent part of our campus’s landscape.”
The historic $5M 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.
“This gift is timely because it allows the Friends of Chabot College Foundation to establish an endowment which will exist in perpetuity and will make the college dream accessible for so many more generations of Chabot College students,” said Mark Salinas, chair of the board for the Friends of Chabot College Foundation and mayor of the City of Hayward.
Mr. Martins was always an avid reader. As a philanthropist, he funded countless public library programs that support childhood literacy. For that advocacy and community support, he received the California Public Libraries Advocates Award. 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 October 15, 2024.
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