Gayle and Arnold Carston named honorary doctorate recipients
Sonoma State University and the California State University will confer an honorary degree on two longtime North Bay philanthropists, community leaders, and arts supporters during the university’s 2026 Commencement ceremonies
Sonoma State University and the California State University will confer an honorary degree on two longtime North Bay philanthropists, community leaders, and arts supporters during the university’s 2026 Commencement ceremonies.Gayle and Arnold Carston will be jointly awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters at the Sunday, May 24 Commencement ceremony at Green Music Center (GMC). The honorary degree was approved by the California State University Board of Trustees.
“Sonoma State and the entire North Bay could not ask for finer or more passionate supporters of education, the arts, and community engagement than Gayle and Arnold Carston,” SSU President Michael E. Spagna said. “Their contributions and accomplishments are shining examples of what it means to be civic-minded and engaged citizens of the world, and we are delighted to recognize and honor them.”
The Carstons are among the North Bay’s most loyal supporters of the arts. For decades, they have been patrons to the Green Music Center at SSU, the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, and the Santa Rosa Symphony. As board members, advocates, and donors, they have helped ensure a vibrant cultural community. They were among the earliest enthusiasts of what became the Green Music Center, and in 2024 expressed their continued commitment with a $1-million gift to support the GMC and student scholarships.
Gayle Carston, a SSU alumna, graduated in 1977 with a degree in sociology, carrying forward a family legacy deeply connected to the university — her father’s construction company helped build several foundational SSU facilities, including the Student Health Center and the Children’s School.
While completing her degree, Gayle balanced working for the family business and raising her son, Adam, demonstrating the commitment and resilience that would define her life and career. In 1990, she earned her contractor’s license and married Arnold, a Sacramento State University graduate whose entrepreneurial background complemented her own. Together, they led World of Carpets and later expanded their business endeavors with ProSource of Santa Rosa.
Beyond their professional success, the Carstons are pillars in Sonoma County’s arts and cultural landscape. Their steadfast support of the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and the GMC — highlighted by the Carston Cabaret and Carston Music Library naming gifts — reflects their belief in the arts as a vital community resource. Their philanthropic legacy at SSU also includes the Rochelle Fostmeier Scholarship and the Carston Family Scholarship, both designed to support student success.
They have served on numerous fundraising boards and committees, including the Sonoma County Board of Building Appeals, the National Association of Women in Construction, Canine Companions, Luther Burbank Center Center, Santa Rosa Symphony, SSU’s President's Advisory Board and other nonprofits in Sonoma County.
In 2013, Gayle was awarded the SSU Distinguished Alumni award, and, in 2007-08, she and her husband were named Arts Benefactors of the Year by the Luther Burbank Center.