Cal Poly honors industry icon with graphic communication scholarship and endowment

Aug 14, 2020

Ray Prince (fourth from left) participates in a ceremony with industry and education leaders dedicating the Raymond J. Prince Graphic Arts Collection at Cal Poly.
Cal Poly celebrated Ray Prince for spearheading the development of what is now the largest graphic arts library of its kind in the world: The Raymond J. Prince Graphic Arts Collection.
Ray Prince with several graphic communication students in one of the many rooms representing the Raymond J. Prince Graphic Arts Collection.
Ray Prince and wife, Bonnie, were honored at Cal Poly’s 2018 International Graphic Communication Week banquet held at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.
“P is for Prince.” Cal Poly students gathered wearing T-shirts as an expression of thanks to Ray Prince for his support of education.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, California — Cal Poly has established an endowment in honor of printing industry icon Raymond J. Prince, an advocate of education and industry growth who passed away May 1 of this year, in order to ensure that his name lives on in perpetuity.

The endowment, the Raymond J. Prince Graphic Communication Future Leader Program, will award annual scholarships to graphic communication students who demonstrated academic achievement and the potential to succeed in graphic communication. Priority will be given to first-generation students and to those with financial need. The endowment will also support program advancement, including laboratory and professional development.

Harvey R. Levenson, Cal Poly professor emeritus and former head of the university’s Graphic Communication Department, is leading a drive to raise additional funds for the endowment. 

“For decades, Ray Prince has given,” Levenson said. “He has given to the industry through his work with several professional associations. He has given as a consultant to help printing industry companies grow and prosper. He has given as an expert witness to help printing industry companies protect their legal assets. He has given by helping university programs in the graphic arts build their libraries. He has given in the way of funding endowments in the name of teachers that educate the industry’s future employees.

“It’s now time to honor him so his name lives on forever in graphic communication education and industry for his unrelenting support and generosity.”

Levenson aims to reach the first $30,000 as soon as possible to award two $15,000 scholarships paid over four to five years, and then raise an additional $70,000 to help endow future annual Ray Prince scholarships. Levenson personally pledged the first $15,000 to cover the first scholarship and invites all who knew and respected Prince to participate.

Principal funds contributed to the endowment are protected forever; only the annual interest is used to support the endowment intent, which includes annual student scholarships and program advancement.

“The greater the principal, the greater the annual returns,” Levenson said.

All participants will be publicly recognized unless they ask to remain anonymous. All contributions are tax deductible.