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Atherton's Connie Lurie gives $10 million to teacher education at San Jose State

Philanthropist Connie L. Lurie of Atherton has given $10 million to the College of Education at San Jose State University, the largest individual gift ever given to a college of education in the history of the 23 campus California State University system, the university said.

Ms. Lurie's gift will be used to establish endowments and create new programs for student and faculty development, including launching the university's first independent doctoral program in educational leadership for K-12 administrators, said Don W. Kassing, president of SJSU.

California State University trustees have changed the name of the college to the Connie L. Lurie College of Education.

The university, which is observing its sesquicentennial anniversary, was established in 1857 as a public institution to train teachers, Mr. Kassing said.

Born in San Jose, Ms. Lurie graduated from SJSU in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and psychology, and taught for six years in elementary schools on the Monterey Peninsula.

She has supported numerous programs at SJSU, including a permanent endowment for the Lurie Author-in-Residence Program. She also made a contribution to create the CME (Connect, Motivate and Educate) Society, which assists students who were once foster children.

She is married to Robert Lurie, chairman of the San Francisco real estate development firm, the Lurie Company, and former owner of the San Francisco Giants.