A South Coast university dedicated a new non-partisan center named after a former congressman, and his wife focused on giving students the opportunity to serve in the government and non-profit fields.
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks is home to the new Elton and Janice Gallegly Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was a speaker as part of the dedication ceremonies.
Gallegly was a Republican Congressman who represented Ventura County for a quarter of a century before retiring in 2012.
Some three dozen students and faculty members held a peaceful demonstration near the ceremonies. They told KCLU News that they felt Gallegly’s history in Congress as a foe of immigration efforts didn’t fit with CLU’s mission of inclusiveness.
CLU is the parent of KCLU Radio.