Gift Begets Scholarship Fund Of More Than $260,000 For School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A retired General Electric executive and UB graduate has used his business acumen to leverage a gift for scholarships to UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).

Robert H. Goldsmith has given $125,000 to UB, which General Electric Co. is matching dollar-for-dollar and San Diego Gas & Electric has agreed to match on a partial basis, resulting in a total gift to UB of more than $260,000.

Goldsmith, a 1951 mechanical engineering graduate, and his wife, Catherine, wanted to help UB engineering students so they established the Robert H. and Catherine H. Goldsmith Scholarship Fund.

"We are pleased to provide this opportunity for a student to continue his or her education through to a master's degree, which is fast becoming the degree of choice for the practice of engineering," Goldsmith said.

"These matching funds allow us to more than double our financial support at this time," he added, "and since the UB School of Engineering helped me immeasurably, it's gratifying to return the favor by helping today's students."

Mark H. Karwan, Ph.D., professor and dean of SEAS, said Goldsmith has served generously on the school's Dean's Advisory Council, helping to shape the future of SEAS. "Bob Goldsmith saw the need to grow our graduate fellowship program based on his active participation in the Dean's Council, which has meant a major commitment of his time and money."

Karwan continued, "Bob understands that many companies are looking for that combination of education and practicality that comes with a master's degree, so he wants to encourage students in that direction by helping with a scholarship."

SEAS students can earn a master's of engineering degree by attending for a fifth year and completing an engineering project. The Robert H. and Catherine H. Goldsmith Scholarship Fund scholarship endowment fund is designed to help those students in their final year of completing a master's degree in engineering.

The first Goldsmith scholar is Moshe Shaked, a fourth-year student working on his combined bachelor's and master's of engineering degrees in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. Shaked, born in Israel and now living in Hamburg, received the $5,000 scholarship this fall. When he graduates, Shaked intends to work in construction management.

Goldsmith, a Buffalo native, started his career following graduation from UB at Allied Chemical & Dye and worked there for three years before entering the Army. In 1956, he began what would be a 26-year career with General Electric Co. He started as an engineer and left as a corporate vice president, having had responsibility for the commercial aircraft engine and the gas turbine divisions. Along the way, he earned his MBA from Xavier University.

Goldsmith went to Pneumo as a senior vice president and group executive, then to Precision Forge as vice chairman and COO, then to Rohr Industries -- a Fortune 500 company -- as president before becoming chairman and CEO. Finally, he moved to Exten Industries, where he served as chairman, president and CEO before retiring.

Goldsmith is active in both business and community affairs and has served or serves on several boards, including those of Rohr, San Diego Gas & Electric, Exten Industries, Enova, Southern California Gas, Pacific Enterprises, Sempra Energy, the San Diego Economic Development Corp., the United Way of San Diego County, the YMCA of San Diego County, Dean's Advisory Council for the business school at California State University -- San Marcos, and the Dean's Advisory Council for UB's SEAS. In 1979, Goldsmith received Xavier's Executive Achievement Award and in 1994, he received the UB School of Engineering Dean's Award for Engineering Achievement.

The Goldsmiths live in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

For information on how you can support the University at Buffalo, go to http://www.buffalo.edu/giving.