Stein Gifts Create Legacies at Boise State
Longtime donors Catherine Stein, and her late husband Keith, have supported the arts and athletics at Boise State in numerous ways, including endowed scholarships for marching band students, construction of an indoor band practice facility, piano upgrades for the Department of Music and most recently, a gift to support the construction of the Center for Visual Arts.
The Steins have a long relationship with Boise State’s music program. Their cornerstone scholarship donation to the Boise State University Foundation in 1986 helped re-establish a marching band at Boise State.
The Keith Stein Blue Thunder Marching Band made its debut at Boise State’s home football game on Sept. 5, 1987, becoming a source of pride for both the university and community. The Steins also helped provide a new home for the band in 2006 — the Keith and Catherine Stein Band Hall in the Caven-Williams Sports Complex.
“Keith and I have had a great deal of faith in Boise State and have enjoyed seeing the positive impact our gifts have made on the lives of the students,” Catherine said. “We wanted to express our confidence in the university, its leadership, and students, by making these investments that are meaningful to our family.”
A gift from the Steins in 2011 helped Boise State reach a significant milestone by becoming Idaho’s first All-Steinway School. The Department of Music now features Steinway & Sons pianos for teaching, rehearsals, and performances. The gift provided 35 new pianos for the department and completed the All-Steinway School Initiative, which was launched in April 2008. Overall, Boise State added 43 new pianos to its existing inventory of eight Steinways. Additionally, the gift created an endowed fund to support the ongoing care and upkeep of all the pianos.
Catherine also established the Keith Stein Memorial Seniors for Success Scholarship Endowment in honor of Keith. The scholarship supports students who participate in the marching band for a minimum of three years.
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