Fresno State alumna Roberta Kuhlman, who graduated with a degree in business administration in 1980, has established a new scholarship for students at her alma mater. The Roberta (Trogman) Kuhlman ’80 and William B. Kuhlman Jr. Family Scholarship is designed to help students majoring in business administration or economics who have a minimum GPA of 3.20 and demonstrate financial need.
Kuhlman, who has not returned to Fresno since leaving 44 years ago, said her connection to the university remains strong. Her professional background includes roles as development director at both the University of California, Davis and Loyola Marymount University, where she witnessed the impact scholarships can have on students’ lives.
“When I was in university development, I saw things that really made me passionate about the work I was doing,” Kuhlman said. “I saw students who got very emotional about strangers supporting their college education. It was a wonderful thing to be able to facilitate. Students would tell me that having a scholarship kept them from taking an unnecessary loan.”
The first recipient of the Kuhlman Scholarship is William Prim, a senior studying business administration with an emphasis in data analytics. He also holds a Craig Honors Scholarship.
Prim expressed gratitude for the support provided by the scholarship during what he described as a financially challenging year due to personal expenses.
“I don’t like the idea of getting student loans and having debt,” Prim said. “Debt is scary, especially if you know how interest rates work. The scholarship has really helped, especially this year when I was getting married and I totaled my car. I can’t imagine having student loan debt and a car payment. The scholarship has been a safety net for us, so it’s been a big blessing.”
Kuhlman explained that her intention is to help more students complete their degrees without financial strain.
“I hope this scholarship will help students complete their goals of getting a bachelor’s degree,” she said. “A lot of students don’t finish, and whatever I can do to help that would make me very happy.”
After graduating from Fresno State, Kuhlman worked as an executive in retail companies including Weinstock’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, I. Magnin and Levi’s before earning an MBA from San Francisco State University and moving into university advancement roles.
Reflecting on her time at Fresno State in the late 1970s, Kuhlman recalled positive experiences both academically and socially.
“Fresno was a very friendly place to be,” she said. “I got on the junior varsity volleyball team, and I had instant friends. It was wonderful to live in a city that was completely behind the sports teams at my college. The business school was rigorous, and the professors were accessible.”
She emphasized that creating an endowed fund ensures continued support for future generations of Fresno State business students.
“I hope the scholarship can increase,” Kuhlman said. “It’s an endowment, so it will grow over time. I hope it will support multiple Fresno State business students.”
Prim noted his desire to give back after benefiting from donor generosity himself through service projects with organizations such as Shinzen Friendship Garden and Central Valley Women’s Entrepreneurship Center.
“I definitely want to thank Ms. Kuhlman for this opportunity,” Prim said. “Donors to the university give back so much, and giving back myself is top of mind for me.”
