CSU Channel Islands Professional Science Master’s Program Receives $30,000 Donation from Amgen

Camarillo, Calif., Feb. 3, 2009—California State University Channel Islands was recently notified as the recipient of a $30,000 donation from Amgen. The money has been donated to be used to provide scholarships for students in the CSU Channel Islands MS Biotechnology and the MS Biotechnology and MBA dual degree programs.

A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing novel medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen is committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives.
 
 “We are thrilled that Amgen is providing this scholarship fund to our professional science master’s programs. I believe that this is the first scholarship donation to graduate programs on our campus,” said Dr. Ching-Hua Wang, Chair of Biology Program and Director of MS biotechnology and Bioinformatics Program.

Students enrolled in the MS Biotechnology or MS/MBA programs benefit from the rich, interdisciplinary nature of the programs, including course work in Biology, Computer Science, Business and Economics. Specifically, students enrolled at CSU Channel Islands benefit from strong connections to industry since over 40 biotech companies and a growing number of start-ups are within a 40 mile radius of the campus.
 
Since the inception of the programs, CSU Channel Islands has admitted 183 students many of whom are scientists from local biotechnology industry, including Amgen. Assisting students directly with scholarship help will allow students that might not otherwise be able to participate in this program to be able to do so.

“We have already graduated 36 students from these programs and with the help of this type of scholarship fund, we will be able to educate more students to meet the demand of the biotechnology industry,” said Wang.

For media inquiries contact Nancy Covarrubias Gill, Director of Communication & Marketing at CSU Channel Islands, at 805-437-8456 or nancy.gill@csuci.edu.

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CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

CSUCI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.