GREEN BAY – Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is giving back to his alma mater in a big way.
According to a news release from the University of California-Berkeley athletics department, Rodgers has made a seven-figure donation to the Cal football program that will be used to renovate the football locker room and create the Aaron Rodgers Football Scholarship.
The work on the locker room is scheduled to be completed in time for the upcoming season, and the space will be renamed in Rodgers' honor.
The scholarship will be awarded each year to a junior college transfer. Rodgers played two seasons at Cal after transferring from Butte College near his hometown of Chico, Calif.
Current Cal head coach Justin Wilcox, who was the Bears' linebackers coach when Rodgers set the school's all-time record for passing efficiency (150.3) over the 2003-04 seasons, said in the release he's "thrilled and grateful" for Rodgers' support of the program. He noted the locker room upgrade will also help with recruiting.
"I'm pleased and proud to make this gift to support Cal football," Rodgers said in the release. "My years at Cal were among the best years of my life. My time in Berkeley created lasting, unforgettable memories. Coach Wilcox was on the coaching staff when I was a Bear, and I am excited about the team's direction with Justin pointing the way. He is a tremendous football coach and an even better role model for his players. I hope that my contribution can help him move this program forward."
