San Luis Obispo, Calif. – Cal Poly has established an endowment in honor of the late Eric Steinbach, former president of publishing solutions for Quad/Graphics Inc. and a member of the university’s Graphic Communication Department advisory board for 24 years. Steinbach passed away unexpectedly in February 2018.

The Quad/Graphics Eric Steinbach Memorial Graphic Communication Endowment supports education in the Graphic Communication Department. Funds from the endowment will be used to provide annual scholarships for students studying graphic communication management and/or technology and to provide resources for program development related to curriculum, laboratories, and faculty and staff —all areas that Steinbach supported as an advisory board member.

“Eric Steinbach’s leadership on the Graphic Communication Department advisory board is the reason behind many of our successes in curriculum development, laboratory development and professional development of faculty,” said Professor Emeritus Harvey Levenson, former head of the Graphic Communication Department. “We are honoring Eric’s name in a way that will never be forgotten at Cal Poly and Quad/Graphics or in the graphic communication industry.”

The establishment of the endowment has three goals. The first goal, which already has been met, was to raise $25,000 needed for vesting. The second goal is reaching $100,000 by the end January 2019, and the third goal is growing the endowment to $200,000.

The endowment is seeking support to reach the $100,000 goal. To meet the third goal, Quad/Graphics and the Quadracci Family’s philanthropic organization, the Windhover Foundation, has committed to match the first $100,000 of donations, doubling the amount available to $200,000 for scholarships and professional development.

“This is an important way for Quad to support our industry and the next generation of print industry professionals,” said Joel Quadracci, chairman, president and CEO of Quad/Graphics. “Eric Steinbach leaves behind an incredible print industry legacy that spans more than 30 years. We extend our sincerest appreciation to Cal Poly for creating an endowment in his name. This is an ideal way to honor Eric and his passion for education.”

Those who contribute to the endowment will be formally recognized at Cal Poly’s 2019 International Printing Week Banquet, to be held at the end of January, when the matching gift will be presented.

Contributions to can be made to the Quad/Graphics Eric Steinbach Memorial Graphic Communication Endowment through the following:

David Cohune, Assistant Dean for Advancement, College of Liberal Arts, Cal Poly State University. Phone: 805-756-7056. Email: [email protected] 

Contribute online via the Cal Poly Giving page (click or paste in browser): https://securelb.imodules.com/s/699/hybrid-form/index.aspx?sid=699&gid=1&pgid=961&cid=2272&bledit=1&dids=505 

Email a pledge noting amount pledged, contact information, and any payment preference—onetime, monthly, quarterly. Cal Poly would then send invoices. Pledges can be made to any of the following at Cal Poly: Ken Macro – [email protected]; Dave Cohune – [email protected]; Ray Hartman – [email protected]; or Harvey Levenson – [email protected]. 

For more information on the endowment, contact Macro at 805-756-2257.