Camarillo, Calif., Nov. 16, 2010 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) has launched the Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute (HLI) for Workforce & Community Studies using a $300,000 grant from Southern California Edison (SCE).
The HLI is named for workforce and community leader Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo, who has served as an advisor to United States presidents and governors and is held in high esteem throughout the nation and abroad. The HLI is an independent non-profit, non-partisan business development and public policy organization.
“The Lacayo Institute is the latest in our efforts to apply CI’s highly qualified faculty and student talent toward addressing issues on behalf of the larger community we serve. We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Hank Lacayo to create an institute that will help provide valuable resources and information critical to policy development and the prosperity of businesses at the local, state, and national level,” stated President Richard R. Rush.
Southern California Edison’s grant reflects its commitment to developing and nurturing partnerships with community-based organizations within its service areas through philanthropy in the fields of education, the environment and the underserved. Grants and contributions are funded by the utility’s shareholders, not its customers.
“The Lacayo Institute’s focus on community development and energy conservation are a great fit with our company’s philanthropic priorities. Students will generate important work that will potentially benefit their local communities, the region and the state. This is an innovative program we’re proud to support,” said John R. Fielder, SCE President.
HLI’s overarching focus is enabling student participation in the development, enhancement and cultivation of business through the unique relationship provided by the University’s Small Business Institute (SBI) Energy Conservation and Telecommunications Labs. The HLI, through its Community Workforce Studies Program, provides students opportunities to participate in and conduct vital public forums on community, regional, state and national topics focusing on contemporary issues and workforce trend analysis.
The HLI will conduct research and publish its results with a commitment to providing policy makers at the state and national levels, as well as the general public, with current information and politically unbiased insights on the complexities of sustainable workforce and small business development issues that we face today and in the future. In keeping with the core values of CI, studies will be interdisciplinary, balanced with environmental sensibility, and will consider international and ever-evolving cultural and demographic influences.
# # #
CI 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.
# # #
About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.