Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), a provider of post-secondary education services focused on providing higher access to higher education, has announced a $100,000 challenge grant to benefit the music education programs of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
“Music education is no longer part of the public school curriculum, so the Symphony’s music education programs help to bridge that gap,” explained Megan Pogue, director of corporate development for the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. “Studies have shown that music education opens up children’s brains and helps them to learn better.”
The Symphony’s education programs are designed to bring music and music education to thousands of students all over
“As a parent, I am concerned about the elimination of music education programs in the schools,” said Bridgepoint Education chief executive officer Andrew Clark. “As a businessperson, I decided to do something about it by establishing a music education challenge grant for the San Diego Symphony.”
Bridgepoint Education agreed to match all donations up to $100,000 during the pledge drive scheduled to run from July 1 through Dec. 31 of this year. Donor response was so enthusiastic, however, that the fundraising goal has already been met. At the San Diego Symphony’s Opus 2009 Gala on Oct. 3, it was announced that more than $105,000 had been raised, solidifying Bridgepoint Education’s $100,000 donation.
“Even with all that we do at the Symphony to raise funds throughout the year, it really makes a huge difference when corporations like Bridgepoint Education step up and show the community that they are behind us,” Pogue said. “We expected this fundraising drive to take six months and we reached our goal in half that time.”
In addition to the San Diego Symphony, Bridgepoint Education supports numerous local charities aimed at furthering education and helping children.
“If we didn’t have donors like Bridgepoint Education, classical music in
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