In 1856 a man named John Charles Fremont explored the region of the U.S. between the Rockies and the Pacific Ocean. That was then largely unexplored territory and Californians appreciated his efforts. In fact, they chose to attach his name to one California City. That explains how the City of Fremont got its name. The City of Fremont, however, can not claim to be the only northern California city that has been associated with a famous name.

Berkeley, CA in the East Bay region also has connections with a famous name. In fact, it has connections with a number of famous names. Eighteen members of the faculty from the University of California at Berkley have traveled to Stockholm, Sweden and have received a Nobel Prize. Their accomplishments have included the isolation of the polio virus and the discovery of elements heavier than uranium. Those Nobel prize-winners taught and conducted research in buildings with a world-famous design.

In the latter part of the 19th Century, the University at Berkley had strived to deliver the same quality of education as Harvard. Unlike Harvard, however, the University at Berkeley experienced some financial troubles. Then at the opening of the 20th Century, Phoebe Hearst presented the University administrators with an interesting idea. It was an idea that would eventually bring many visitors to the area of the East Bay. She suggested that the University hold an international competition. As conceived by Hearst, the overseers of that competition would request the submission of architectural plans. The University would award one architect with the honor of designing new buildings for the University in the East Bay.

News of the competition spread around the world. Phoebe Hearst had made it known that only the very best architects should plan to enter the competition. She had said that all competing architects "should be worthy of the great University whose material home they are to provide for." The winner of that competition was indeed a noted architect. The winner was Emilio Benard of Paris.

Now when Emilio was chosen as the architect for Berkley, that University did not have a great deal of monetary resources. The University did, however, have a wealthy friend. Phoebe Hearst had obtained money from her husband, and she had wanted to be generous with that money. Since Phoebe's husband had received the money as payment for a gambling debt, she had failed to interest her chosen religious institution in her money. That was why she had conceived of a way to give to the University.

Still Berkeley is by no means the only University in the East Bay. Some students in Alameda and Contra Costa counties attend California State University, East Bay (CSUEB). In 2006, the Princeton Review praised that East Bay university. The Review devoted the bulk of its praise to extolling the benefits of the business school at CSUEB.

An Internet search will reveal that CSUEB appears poised to continue and improve-on its reputation. The State University will get 41 new tenured faculty members in September of 2006.