The Bostroms have established a bequest specifying that upon their deaths, $150,000 from their estate will be divided equally between the Sandra Bostrom-Aguado Music Therapy Endowment in the Department of Music in CSUN's College of Arts, Media, and Communication; the Sandra Bostrom-Aguado Computer Science Scholarship Endowment in the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; and the Donald E. Bostrom Electrical and Computer Engineering Scholarship Endowment in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, also in the engineering college.

"My husband and I have always felt that we were put on this planet to do more than consume its resources and produce waste material. We are here to help each other in any way possible," Sandra Bostrom said. "Don and I do not have the finances to solve the world's problems, but we can assist causes that we think we are important to the future. Education will always be a part of this future and our endowments represent interests that we feel are critical to our planet's success."

Cal State Northridge President Jolene Koester said the generosity shown by Sandra and Donald Bostrom "demonstrates the commitment our faculty and alumni have to our students.

"Dr. Bostrom has spent much of her life working with students, sharing her knowledge, offering her support and helping them see a future full of possibility," Koester said. "The endowments she and her husband have bequeathed will continue to help our students in the years ahead."

Donald Bostrom graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Cal State Northridge in 1964, when it was known as San Fernando Valley State College. He was among the first to get a degree from the program just as it received its initial accreditation. He went on to a career in electromagnetic engineering.

A professional writer and composer, Sandra Bostrom began teaching piano in Northridge's Department of Music more than 25 years ago. Her teaching duties expanded to the Department of Computer Science about a decade ago, when technological changes in the publishing industry forced her to become an expert in certain business and music computer programs.

Music professor Ron Borczon, director of CSUN's Music Therapy Clinic, said he thinks of the Bostroms as "angels" who have faithfully supported the music therapy program since its inception. They were the first to endow a scholarship in the program named for Sandra Bostrom's mother, Lola Sadlo-Aguado.

"They have really made a difference in the lives of our students, and their endowments ensure that they will continue to do so," Borczon said.

Sandra Bostrom said she and her husband have always been impressed with the mission of the music therapy program and the resource it has been for trauma survivors around the world.

"We wanted to make sure that this wonderful program continues to serve individuals not only in our community but the national concerns of people who find that music can reach souls in stressful situations," she said. "Our endowment to music therapy will help to recognize outstanding students training to care for these needs."

She said the two endowments bequeathed to computer science and electrical engineering were created "to celebrate our success in each of these fields. Hopefully these endowments will give students large enough cash awards to reward and encourage their efforts in these areas."

Engineering dean S.T. Mau said it was "gratifying to see the impact that Cal State Northridge and the College of Engineering and Computer Science has had on the lives of faculty and alumni like Sandra and Donald Bostrom. In turn, they are providing opportunities for future students to excel and make their marks on the world."