Some people, when they leave with their degrees, might harbor fond memories of their alma maters, but do not return. Civil engineering alumnus Lawrence “Larry” Gates graduated in 1987 from Cal Poly Pomona, but he never really left. He and his wife, Amy, continue to support current and future students in extraordinary ways.

“I feel that I got a superb education at a reasonable price,” says Gates. “People who become successful should give back to their university, especially the state-supported ones that don't receive many outside donations.”

Over the years, the Gates have donated more than $100,000 to support the civil engineering program and its students at Cal Poly Pomona. A recent donation provided computer upgrades for the Infrastructure Design Laboratory and also supported an overall of the Hydraulics Laboratory and Water Quality Laboratory, giving students access to cutting-edge technology used in real-world engineering projects.

	Members of the Civil Engineering faculty show President Mike Ortiz an open channel demonstrator whose renovations have been financed by donations from alumnus Larry Gates.

“Generous support from Larry and Amy Gates is providing many benefits to Cal Poly Pomona students,” says civil engineering professor and chair Don Coduto. “In addition, their funding of the James Gates Endowment and the Norman Dierker Memorial Scholarship Endowment will provide scholarship funds to civil engineering students for many years to come.”

The Gates created the James Gates Endowment in honor of Larry's father, James, who was an engineer in the air force. After retiring from the air force, James Gates went on to work as an engineer and plant manager at places like Pitzer College in Claremont. Always, he believed in the importance of a good education.

“Creating this scholarship gives my dad a chance to stay involved with Cal Poly Pomona,” says Gates. “He stays in touch with the department and will be on hand when the award is handed out each year.

” After graduating with his bachelor's degree, Gates went on to earn a master's in business administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu and is a registered professional engineer in California, Arizona and Nevada. After working in the industry as a project engineer and project manager for about 12 years, Gates decided to start a business of his own. In 1997, he founded Development Resource Consultants, Inc. (DRC) which employs 115 people, including several Cal Poly Pomona graduates. DRC has offices in Anaheim Hills, Ontario, Corona, and Nevada, and is in the process of opening another branch in downtown Los Angeles. Amy, whom he calls the backbone of the firm, graduated from the University of Phoenix with a bachelor's degree in business administration and handles much of the day-to-day accounting, invoicing and office management.

Although he and Amy are very busy with DRC, which is as likely to work with the design of a one-acre business as they are a 100-acre power center, both enjoy supporting the civil engineering department at Larry's alma mater in creative ways. For example, when Gates discovered that the civil engineering department's nationally ranked concrete canoe team was lacking funds, he and Amy offered a substantial donation. The team, which represents Cal Poly Pomona at regional and national competitions in affiliation with the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapters, continues to excel.

Cal Poly Pomona's ASCE concrete canoe team is one of the top competitors in the nation. In 2004, the student team won the Pacific Southwest Regional Conference title.

“We began supporting the ASCE concrete canoe team about three years ago after I spoke with the team's advisor, Don Wells,” says Gates. “This way, students can concentrate on building a superior canoe instead of worrying about fundraising.”

Some people know how to make the most of their college experiences, successfully meshing social and educational interactions into a balanced whole that they carry with them when they leave. For Larry Gates, returning to the green and gold is like coming full circle.