It’s huge news for a Ventura County university. Cal State Channel Islands has received the largest gift in its history.
The university has received $30 million dollars from the estate of Philippe and Arlette Larraburu. They were French. The couple moved to the United States in the 1960’s and became Ventura County residents in the 1970’s. He created special lenses for the movie industry, and later for weather satellites.
The couple was among the earliest supporters of the creation of Cal State Channel Islands. They decided to make the university the sole beneficiary of their estate after they died.
She passed in 2014, and he died in 2021. There are no restrictions on how the university can use the $30 million, but it's expected a chunk of it will go to capitol projects like new buildings.
