The James E. de Castro Chair in New Media has been endowed at the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ at Boulder's School of Journalism and Mass Communication with a gift of $1.5 million from James E. de Castro. It is the school's first endowed chair and one of the first of its kind in the nation.
A CU-Boulder alumnus, de Castro is president and chief executive officer of Ultimate Inc., a startup company that provides access to sports and entertainment events through online and mainstream partnerships.
The de Castro chair will permanently fund a new faculty position in new media, a growing field in broadcast communications technologies and techniques, while also providing additional research funds for the recipient of the chair. It will serve as an umbrella resource to the vast array of curricula available in the school.
"The university is so pleased to have this opportunity to provide our students with expanded programs that will prepare them for the new world of broadcast communication," said Richard L. Byyny, chancellor. Byyny said the gift was an important step in establishing the school's leadership in the new field.
"It is a pleasure to contribute to Chancellor Byyny's and Dean Brinkman's vision of developing the growing field in new media, broadcast communications and new technology," de Castro said. "Great vision, teaching and leadership is a tradition at CU and I am thrilled to be able to give back to the university."
A major contributor to the university, de Castro has provided support for the CU-Boulder Dance Program Freshman Scholarship Fund in addition to the School of Journalism's radio curriculum and KVCU, the campus radio station.
According to Del Brinkman, dean of the School of Journalism, the gift is a timely and valuable resource.
"Systems for delivering information are constantly growing and changing," Brinkman said. "The endowed chair will provide new opportunities for us to enhance and maintain a state-of-the-art program with an emphasis on teaching students how to use the new media and adapt to the changing technology in the media world."
A 1974 business graduate, de Castro is the former president and CEO of AMFM's Radio Group and president of Chancellor Media's Radio Group.
He was also the co-founder and chief operating officer of Evergreen Media Corp. prior to the Evergreen/Chancellor merger. He was the co-winner of Radio Ink magazine's Executive of the Year award in 1995 and he currently serves on the advisory board for CU-Boulder's School of Journalism.
A national search will be initiated later this year to fill the new faculty position, Brinkman said.
Endowed chairs are one of the highest honors in the university setting and can help retain and recruit renowned faculty members. An endowed gift is invested by the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Foundation Inc. and a portion of the earnings is used each year for the chair, program or scholarship established by the donor. The remaining earnings are reinvested in the foundation's long-term investment pool so that the chair retains its full value over time.
CU-Boulder's School of Journalism and Mass Communication provides a variety of degree programs for students interested in journalism careers. Undergraduate program offerings include advertising, broadcast news, broadcast production management, news-editorial and media studies.
Graduate degree programs are offered in mass communication research, newsgathering, integrated marketing communications, environmental journalism and communication. For more information visit the school's Web site at .