SJSU’s 1857 Minutes of Giving Campaign Reaches Raises $1.7 Million for University Projects, Programs and Initiatives

This spring, more than 1,800 donors came together to support San José State University projects, initiatives and programs during the second annual 1857 Minutes of Giving campaign on April 21-22, resulting in $1.7 million in gifts. Donors gave to 123 fundraising initiatives to support student scholarships, departments and programs from across campus, aided by a new "Help Me Choose" digital tool that categorized opportunities by interest.

"I am amazed by the commitment and generosity of SJSU's wonderful donors. Their support reinforces our legacy as a place where big ideas and boundless opportunities take shape," says SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson.

The number 1857 is a nod to the year San José State, then called Minns' Evening Normal School , was officially established - the first public university on the West Coast.

Of particular note: San José State's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library raised $83,000 this year, an increase of more than a thousand percent from last year. This, in addition to an 11% increase in unique donors from 2025, demonstrates renewed interest in supporting SJSU projects and initiatives.

"In just 1857 minutes, our Spartan community came together to raise $1.7 million in support of our students," says Judy Nagai, vice president of University Advancement and CEO of the Tower Foundation. "That kind of collective impact speaks volumes - not only about the generosity of our donors, but about a shared commitment to expanding opportunity at San José State."

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