(FOX40.COM) — The Sacramento State community is mourning the passing of a philanthropist and donor who left an indelible mark on both the university and the city of Sacramento.
Ernest E. Tschannen, a mechanical engineer turned real estate investor, passed away at age 101, Sacramento State announced in a news release Monday. Tschannen was born in Switzerland and immigrated to Canada before settling down in America to pursue work as a mechanical engineer, according to UC Davis.
“On behalf of the entire Sacramento State community, I want to thank Ernest for believing in this university and in the students who will walk through the doors of the buildings that bear his name for decades to come,” Sacramento State president Luke Wood said in the release.
Tschannen was the university’s all-time top donor, giving roughly $24 million to construct science and engineering buildings on campus. He donated $9 million to help build the titular Tschannen Science Complex. The building, which finished construction in 2019, has labs and classrooms for students studying natural science and mathematics, according to Sacramento State…