PRESS RELEASE

SDSU MONTH RETURNS IN MARCH 2004

New Features Include Open House, Scholarship Drive

SAN DIEGO, Monday, November 24, 2003 — SDSU Month, a regionwide celebration of the “minds that move the world” that come from San Diego State University, will return for its second year in March 2004.

Several dynamic new events and a scholarship drive to benefit students will be included in next spring’s celebration, which is designed to highlight the accomplishments of the university’s alumni, students and faculty, as well as their enormous impact on the San Diego region. A few quick facts:

· One in seven college graduates in San Diego County attended SDSU.

· More than 100,000 alumni currently live in the region.

· SDSU’s faculty and staff earned more than $130 million in externally funded research grants and contracts.

· SDSU’s annual regional economic impact is approximately $1 billion.

“There is just so much across the university community to celebrate,” said Theresa Mendoza, vice president of University Advancement. “SDSU Month 2004 will have an increased focus on bringing the public to campus and exhibiting the excellence of the academic, research and community-related programs our faculty, students and supporters have created.”

Major events already set for SDSU Month 2004 include a stop by the Declare Yourself! campaign, a get-out-the-vote celebration featuring spoken word and music performances and a Declaration of Independence exhibit (March 4); the Aztec Invitational at Petco Park, a baseball tournament that will inaugurate the San Diego Padres’ new ballpark and raise funds for the Aztec baseball team (March 11-14); Explore SDSU, a university-wide open house that will coincide with a preview day for prospective students (March 27); and the City of the Future Conference hosted by SDSU’s International Center for Communications (March 30-31).

Other events during the month include the SDSU Alumni Association’s Montys Awards (March 6) and the Venture Challenge international business plan competition (March 18-19). Dozens more will be added to the calendar between now and SDSU Month 2004.

Another new SDSU Month component is the SDSU Month Scholarship Challenge. Its goal is to raise money for scholarships that will directly support some of the university’s neediest and most deserving students. Individuals and corporate partners will be able to participate, and more details will be announced soon.

“There’s no better way to celebrate ‘the minds that move the world’ than by providing these very deserving students with the resources they need to succeed,” Mendoza said.

SDSU Month 2004 will also feature a strong promotional campaign. Sponsors so far include Associated Students, Aztec Shops, ClearChannel Communications, Cox Communications, Geary Interactive, Greenhaus, Hispanic Broadcasting Corp., KPBS, The Mighty 1090, MindLeap Marketing, NBC 7/39, Nuffer Smith Tucker Public Relations, the San Diego Padres, the San Diego State University Alumni Association, the San Diego State University Foundation, the San Diego Trolley, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Time Warner Cable San Diego, and Univision.

More details about SDSU Month 2004 will be announced in the coming months. In the meantime, people can register to receive e-mail updates on SDSU Month benefits, events and news at www.sdsumonth.com.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor’s degrees in 79 areas, master’s degrees in 67 areas and doctorates in 14 areas. SDSU’s more than 34,000 students participate in academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.