Quad/Graphics Eric Steinbach Memorial Graphic Communication Endowment to Fund Student Scholarships and Support University’s Graphic Communication Program
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department has met its $200,000 fundraising goal for a new endowment in honor of the late Eric Steinbach, a longtime supporter of the program and the university.
The department announced this week that it reached its goal thanks to a $100,000 matching grant from Quad/Graphics, which was presented by Quad/Graphics Chairman, President and CEO Joel Quadracci during Cal Poly’s annual International Graphic Communication Week celebration held Jan. 23 at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.
The initial $100,000 raised for the endowment came from family and friends of Eric Steinbach, Quad employees; Cal Poly alumni, faculty and staff; and corporations and investment funds.
Proceeds from the Quad/Graphics Eric Steinbach Memorial Graphic Communication Endowment will be used to award student scholarships and for graphic communication program development. Steinbach, formerly president of publishing solutions for Quad, served on Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department Advisory Board for 24 years and was an advisor to faculty and a mentor to many students. He was also instrumental in developing resources for the construction of a computer management lab at Cal Poly.
“Eric touched so many lives during his time at Quad, and many more at Cal Poly and throughout the graphics communication community,” Quadracci told more than 200 attendees at the celebration, including Cal Poly faculty, staff, administrators and industry leaders. “This endowment allows his incredible printing industry legacy to continue for generations to come. I’m particularly proud that so many of our employees chose to contribute to the endowment. Their support symbolizes the respect they had for Eric — a man whose business acumen was only overshadowed by his genuine desire to help others.”
Quadracci addressed several topics at the banquet during an on-stage interview conducted by Cal Poly Professor Emeritus Harvey Levenson, former head of the Graphic Communication Department. Quadracci spoke about Eric Steinbach and his commitment to the printing industry, Quad’s corporate culture and its commitment to gender equity and diversity, and where the graphic communication industry is heading and how students can prepare themselves to successfully help companies address the present and future communication needs of society.
Ken Macro, department chair of Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department said, “It is an honor and a privilege to have Mr. Quadracci here for this momentous occasion. His tribute to Eric Steinbach’s contribution to the industry and education is commendable and will be forever memorialized here at Cal Poly. Many thanks to Quad/Graphics and to the Steinbach family.”
Links:
– Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department: www.grc.calpoly.edu
– Cal Poly College of Liberal Arts: www.cla.calpoly.edu
– Quad/Graphics, Inc.: https://www.qg.com
About Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department
Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department was founded in 1946 and is one of the largest and best-known programs of its kind in the U.S. It includes concentrations in graphic communication management, web and digital media, design reproduction technology, graphics for packaging, and individualized study. The program is strongly supported by industry with grants and endowments and with equipment, supplies and software for the department’s more than 33,000 square feet of modern laboratories. The department is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications. The Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly (www.grci.calpoly.edu) focuses on services for industry, including research, testing, product evaluations, consulting, training, seminars, workshops, conferences and publishing.
About Quad/Graphics
Quad/Graphics (NYSE: QUAD) is a leading marketing solutions provider. The company leverages its strong print foundation as part of a much larger, robust integrated marketing services platform that helps marketers and content creators improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their marketing spend across offline and online media channels. Quad’s clients include industry-leading blue-chip companies that operate in a wide range of industries that serve both businesses and consumers, including retailers, publishers and direct marketers. Quad was founded by Harry V. Quadracci in 1971 with 11 employees and a single printing press. Today the company is led by Harry’s youngest son, Joel, who serves as chairman, president and CEO. Headquartered in Sussex, Wisconsin, just west of Milwaukee, Quad employs more than 21,000 employees on four continents. Quad’s growth is a testament to the company’s visionary leadership and engaged employees who are committed to creating a better way for all stakeholders.