Dear donors and supporters,
Happy August! I hope you and your family are staying healthy and enjoying the summer months.
During this time, the Hartnell College Foundation continues to develop partnerships, manage projects and prepare for the next semester of celebrations, events, and opportunities to support our students and uplift our community. We value your support of students and programs here at Hartnell and are continually seeking opportunities to ensure that your gifts sustain and create an impact on this community.
Throughout the year, we will plan a number of gatherings to provide opportunities to meet our new Superintendent/President, Mr. Michael Gutierrez, and to engage with our wonderful students.
We want to stay in touch, so please reach out to let us know about any updates to your contact information!
Be well,
Jackie Cruz
VP Advancement and Development
Executive Director for Hartnell College Foundation
LEGACY GIVING
Andre Eris Endowment to support education in perpetuity
Dick and Ramona
Dick and Ramona
To know Richard (Dick) Andre is to know that he loves to tell a good story. Like many of his tales, the story of how and why he established the Andre Eris Endowment in honor of his late wife, Ramona, and father-in-law, Louis, is about love, family, and community.
Ramona and Dick’s love story began 66 years ago and will continue forever. “I was a farm boy from Chualar when we met,” said Richard Johnson Andre, who most people call Dick. “Ramona and I talked about how to continue to help others; establishing a fund was one of the talks we had before she passed.”
Ramona Eris [Andre], named for the title of an 1884 novel that revealed the mistreatment of Native Americans by white settlers, was born in Salinas on January 25, 1934. By that time, her father, Louis Eris, was already in his fifth year as a teacher at Salinas Junior College (later to be re-named Hartnell College). When the college was moved to its new campus on Homestead Avenue in 1937, Ramona had become a frequent visitor to “Hartnell” with her proud father and mother, Lucy. Ramona’s father was a founding faculty member of Hartnell and taught French, Spanish, and psychology for 30 years (1929 – 1959).
Ramona pictured center
Ramona pictured center
Dick and Ramona met in 1952 and both graduated from Hartnell in 1953. He said they spent little time away from each other and even at their graduation, they walked side by side as she graduated with honors and he received a special journalism award.
Ramona and Dick were separated somewhat while she completed her education at San Jose State — in less than two years, with honors – and he attended Stanford. They were separated again when he was drafted and stationed in Texas for 18 months. During that time, Ramona taught for a year at El Gabilan School in North Salinas and planned their wedding for July 8, 1956. She taught in East Palo Alto and Visalia as Dick finished his journalism degree and entered graduate school at Stanford.
Dick taught journalism, English, and writing at Hartnell for 24 years (1973-1997), continuing a true Hartnell legacy between the Andre and Eris families. Ramona’s brother Rene was the student body president after Dick and Ramona graduated. Dick’s father was a Hartnell College Trustee after World War II, and many of Dick’s and Ramona’s relatives attended Hartnell, including their two children, Steven and Jeannine.
While Dick taught journalism at Hartnell, once having the newspaper selected as best in the State, Ramona taught at Santa Rita School for nine years. Meanwhile, Steven became a student activist at Hartnell and then graduated from UC Berkeley and Hastings Law School. Jeannine also attended Hartnell, making it a complete Hartnell family.
Ramona’s Father, Louis Eris
Ramona’s Father, Louis Eris
“Students have been a big part of our lives,” Andre said.
In 1983, Dick’s teaching assignment moved him into the writing laboratory, while Ramona developed health problems, though she continued to be involved with Hartnell, even after Dick retired in 1997. The two of them were regulars at Hartnell Retired Faculty luncheons and meetings. When then-new Hartnell College President, Willard Lewallen, said the college should have an athletics hall of fame, Dick joined that committee to help organize the group and to see that the team from their student days (The 1952 Junior Rose Bowl Football Team) was the first one inducted into the Hall of Fame.
For Dick, it has not been easy since the loss of his bride of almost 66 years. But out of the sadness of missing her dearly, The Ramona Louise Eris Andre and Louis Eris Memorial Financial Aid Endowment (The Andre Eris Endowment) was born. This fund will provide about $10,000 in scholarships each year to Hartnell students who demonstrate financial need.
“Until her death in November 2021, Ramona still loved Hartnell and wanted to help needy students there,” he said. “Her scholarship is intended to do that.”
The Hartnell College Foundation is thankful for Dick and Ramona’s support of students. With the Andre Eris Endowment, their legacy will continue to support higher education, helping to shape the future of our community for generations to come.
ENDOWMENTS
Plan for your life’s journey
We ask that you consider making a gift to fund a life income arrangement, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder unitrust. The benefits to you may include lifetime payments and tax savings. After you have received all payments, the remainder assists us in furthering our cause.
To make an even greater impact on our work, you can designate your gift to our endowment. Contact us for a free illustration of these plans to see how you could benefit and create a lasting legacy to sustain our work.
Call or email us so we can give you directions for a smooth journey. Contact our VP of Advancement and Development/Executive Director for the Foundation, Jackie Cruz at jcruz@hartnell.edu or call 831-444-2446.
We ask that you consider making a gift to fund a life income arrangement, such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder unitrust. The benefits to you may include lifetime payments and tax savings. After you have received all payments, the remainder assists us in furthering our cause.
To make an even greater impact on our work, you can designate your gift to our endowment. Contact us for a free illustration of these plans to see how you could benefit and create a lasting legacy to sustain our work.
Call or email us so we can give you directions for a smooth journey. Contact our VP of Advancement and Development/Executive Director for the Foundation, Jackie Cruz at jcruz@hartnell.edu or call 831-444-2446.