A long-time friend and supporter of Fresno Pacific University has left the university a transformational legacy to benefit students. King J. Richter has given the school $21.9 million to create endowed scholarships for FPU students.
These scholarships include:
- The Alvina Richter Scholarship Fund, in honor of his mother
- The Elmer R. Richter, Sr. Scholarship Fund, in honor of his father
- The King J. Richter Scholarship
This gift is just the latest example of Richter’s generosity to the university and its students. In 1992, he set up the King J. Richter Annual Scholarship to “help high-achieving students receive the life-changing education available at FPU,” according to the description of that scholarship, which is separate from the new endowment.
“King J. Richter’s generosity reflects a deep and enduring commitment to Fresno Pacific and our mission,” says FPU President André Stephens. “This remarkable gift will open doors for countless students—both now and for generations to come—equipping them to pursue their calling and make a difference in the world. My hope is this gift will also inspire others to give in support of the life-changing, Christ-centered education we provide.”
This largest-ever gift to FPU is believed to be the second largest public charitable contribution in Central Valley history, following a $29.4 million gift to the Fresno State College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in 2009.
King Richter
The Richter family is deeply rooted in Christian faith and the Central Valley. King J. Richter’s grandfather, Jacob, founded Richter Bottling Works, later Fresno’s Pepsi Cola Bottling Company, in 1895. The company, with King Richter’s brother, Bud, as CEO, ultimately controlled the Fresno-Madera County market and outselling the competition by about 1.5 to one. The company was sold to the Liggett Group in 1975.
After the sale, King J. Richter moved to Beverly Hills, where he set down roots and became a philanthropist. He continued to invest in Christian higher education.
Join the giving
Legacy gifts come in varying amounts, but all are important to the success of the Valley’s only accredited Christian university. Everyone interested in including FPU in their estate plan is encouraged to call Steven Redekop, director of development and legacy gifts at the FPU Foundation, at 559-453-3451.
About FPU
Fresno Pacific University has a proven record of success at connecting students’ untapped potential with unlimited opportunity for professional, personal and spiritual growth while remaining accessible to individuals and families of modest means. The Wall Street Journal ranks the university first among private schools nationally in social mobility for its graduates, and Money has given Fresno Pacific a five-star ranking, the only Christian university in the Western United States to receive this honor.
FPU is the Central Valley’s Christian University, offering undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs to nearly 2,900 traditional and adult students on the main campus in southeast Fresno and regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online. The university also reaches about 8,000 students through professional development studies.
Fresno Pacific is a Hispanic Serving Institution, with a Hispanic student population of 60 percent. More than half of all students are the first in their families to attend university, and both Hispanic and first-generation students graduate at the same rate as students overall.
Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, FPU is also ranked highly by Washington Monthly and U.S. News & World Report, which include the university on their “Best Value” and “Best Bang for the Buck” lists. Fresno Pacific is affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, and all employees express a personal Christian commitment.
Fresno Pacific University is California’s Central Valley’s only accredited Christian university, connecting every student’s untapped potential with unlimited opportunity for professional, personal and ethical growth. Nonprofit and independent, FPU offers more than 100 areas of study to about 4,000 traditional undergraduate, adult degree completion, graduate and seminary students at the main campus in Southeast Fresno and throughout the Valley at regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online.
