FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Farmingdale State College (FSC), the largest technology-focused campus in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, has received a $5 million donation from alumnus and entrepreneur Murray Pasternack. The gift, announced on June 3, 2025, marks the largest in the college’s history and one of the biggest ever for a SUNY technology college.
Pasternack, who graduated in 1960 with an associate degree in electrical technology, is a successful radio frequency engineer and founder of Pasternack Enterprises. His donation will support scholarships and programs in the School of Engineering Technology, now renamed the Murray Pasternack School of Engineering Technology in his honor. The SUNY Board of Trustees approved the name change on Tuesday.
The $5 million gift will provide four-year scholarships for at least 56 students annually across all 15 majors in the school. It will also support mentorship, student programming, and co-curricular resources to encourage participation in engineering and technology fields—particularly among students less likely to pursue careers in those areas, including women in STEM.
“This historic gift will support students who might otherwise have struggled to find essential resources,” said FSC President Robert S. Prezant. “It will be reflected in the important contributions our students will make in a wide range of engineering and technology fields.”
Pasternack said his own experience as a working student inspired his support. “I know first-hand the challenges of balancing work and education,” he said. “My hope is that this gift allows students to focus more on learning and less on financial stress.”
This donation brings Pasternack’s total contributions to the college to $8.2 million over the past four years. His previous gifts have helped establish a student-run investment fund, a modern trading room in the School of Business, a radio frequency and microwave lab, and the college’s Honors Program.
“This investment is more than a generous act—it’s a lasting legacy,” said Matthew Colson, vice president for development and alumni engagement. “Murray’s commitment to lifting others through education inspires all of us.”
Students admitted into any engineering program at FSC are eligible to apply for the new Murray Pasternack scholarship. For more information, visit the Murray Pasternack School of Engineering Technology on the FSC website.
