New major established

By Andrea Makshanoff, On-line Forty-Niner

March 2,1998

Due to fund-raising efforts of Italian-Americans in Southern California, an Italian Language Studies major will be established at Cal State Long Beach.

Organizers will begin a search for a chairperson in the fall, said Clorinda Donato, chairwoman of Romance, German, Russian languages and literature.

The recent gift of $150,000 from George L. Graziadio, president and chief executive officer of Imperial Bancorp, has completed the $500,000 campaign by the Italian-American community.

"This is an outstanding accomplishment," President Robert Maxson said. "This gift now allows us to establish the first Italian major within the CSU in Southern California."