As California State University, San Bernardino celebrates 60 years of higher education excellence, it is launching its inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame Awards to recognize the professional accomplishments and community service of distinguished alumni.

Ellen Weisser, BA, English, ’68, will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes an achievement of noteworthy value, a series of such achievements or a career or humanitarian effort of noteworthy accomplishment.

A tireless advocate for Cal State San Bernardino, Weisser is a founding member of the university’s Philanthropic Foundation Board, serving eight years as chair of the board, then as immediate past chair and member of the fund’s Investment Committee. Since its inception, the fund has grown to almost $50 million. She and her husband, Stan Weisser, also serve as honorary co-chairs of “Our Defining Moment: The Campaign for CSUSB,” the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history, which was launched in 2022. She is the immediate past president of the College of Arts and Letters Community Leaders Board and is active in the Golden Grad program.

Weisser was integrally involved in the first theater program at CSUSB and established an endowment to support its mission, which was the first named sponsorship in the Department of Theatre Arts’ more than 50-year history. The Weissers generously provided the seed donation for CSUSB’s Performing Arts Center and the building’s foyer has been named in their honor.

Weisser was instrumental in founding The Grove Charter School, an innovative Montessori-based high school in Redlands that later expanded to include a junior high school and a nine-acre dairy farm, complete with a house and barn that today serve as classrooms and a working farm.

Dedicated to community service, Weisser has been recognized with the YWCA Margaret Petersen Award, The Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, the University of Redlands Town and Gown Women of Distinction, the Redlands Rotary Second Mile Award, Boy Scouts Greyback District Distinguished Citizens Award, The Northside Impact Committee Award, Woman of the Year of the 63rd California Assembly District, San Bernardino County “Herstory” Award, Family Service’s Call to Duty Award, and Redlands Woman of the Year. 

The alumni awardees will be honored during a dinner and award ceremony on Feb. 16 at CSUSB’s Santos Manuel Student Union North Ballrooms. Three university-wide awards – Distinguished Alumni, Emerging Leader and Coyote Spirit – will be presented, as well as the Paw Print Awards, which honor esteemed alumni from each of the university’s five colleges.

For more information about the inaugural Hall of Fame celebration, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (909) 537-3700 or send an email to alumni@csusb.edu. The office provides opportunities for alumni to connect with each other and their alma mater and for CSUSB graduates to mentor and support current students through volunteer opportunities.