Notre Dame de Namur University Exceeded the $6M Taube Challenge to Restore Historic Ralston Hall
Tad Taube and NDNU President Judith Maxwell Greig.Tad Taube, chair of the Campaign to Save Ralston Hall, announced during a recent celebration that Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) not only met – but exceeded – the $6M Taube Challenge to save Ralston Hall, a California and national historic landmark.
"I was honored to be able to help NDNU in restoring Ralston Hall, which is important architecturally and to the university's operation and cultural environment," said Tad Taube, chairman of Taube Philanthropies. "Our mission to save Ralston Hall sought to restore what serves as the heart of the NDNU campus. We thank the more than 900 individuals and foundations who have donated and continue to support the good work that NDNU is doing for students and the community, and we were also very pleased that Notre Dame de Namur University raised more than $6.4M or 107% of the challenge goal."
The Koret Foundation's $1M grant pushed NDNU over the top of their $6M goal. Koret President Michael J. Boskin said, "We're proud to support NDNU in this important endeavor to restore such a magnificent historical treasure so that it can once again serve the needs of students."
In addition, the John A. Sobrato family committed a new $2.7 million grant to NDNU from the John A. Sobrato and Susan Sobrato Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The grant will be used to design a new learning commons for students within Ralston Hall.
"The generosity of the Bay Area community is outstanding," said President Judith Maxwell Greig. "Ralston Hall is an amazing California treasure and we can't wait for the renovation to be finished and the doors open once again to the community."
Ralston Hall was deemed unfit for occupancy in 2012, due to seismic and structural issues, with retrofits and renovations estimated to cost $20 million or more. On November 24, 2014, Tad Taube announced the $6 million Taube Challenge asking the community to help NDNU raise $6 million, which he would match, and, as the chair of the Ralston Hall Campaign, Taube would help raise the balance needed for the Capital Campaign.
NDNU will hold a groundbreaking event on March 23, 2016, honoring the success of the fundraising campaign, and recognizing all those who contributed to it.
"We're excited to get the renovations underway, and look forward to inviting the community to the formal rededication in 2018 of Ralston Hall Mansion, timed to the 150th Anniversary of the building's original construction," said Dino Hernandez, NDNU's vice president of advancement.
ABOUT NDNU
Notre Dame de Namur University is a Catholic, not-for-profit, coeducational institution serving 2,000 traditional aged and adult students from diverse backgrounds. Established in 1851, by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, NDNU maintains a strong commitment to access for diverse populations, academic excellence, social justice and community engagement. The university is fully accredited and offers 40 undergraduate, graduate and credential programs. The historic, 50-acre campus is located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit www.ndnu.edu.
