Golfweek Wrote:William H. “Bill” Swanson, a retired chairman of Raytheon Co. who played golf at Cal Poly, and his wife, Cheryl, gave $10.188 million to the men’s and women’s programs at the San Luis Obispo school.

“As a student athlete, you learn what competition is all about, whether playing as an individual or as a team member,” Swanson said in a statement released through the school. "You know you have to play your best and do your job. If you don’t, you are letting down those who are counting on you.”

“Cal Poly’s learn-by-doing philosophy instilled in me a no-fear attitude that allowed me to try different things for success,” said Swanson, who earned an engineering degree at the school. "Because of my Cal Poly education and my time as a collegiate golfer, I was able to apply these learnings time and time again over a 40-year career at Raytheon, and for that I will always be grateful.”

The Swansons’ gift will be used to provide immediate cash support for scholarships and establish an operating endowment named the “Swanson Cal Poly Golf Program.” The endowment will fund new scholarships, focusing on engineering and first-generation student-athletes, and support participating in better national tournaments, more robust travel and recruiting budgets and improved equipment and gear for the men’s and women’s teams.