The Heritage Society of SJSU

“This incredible gift supporting the establishment of the Molly and Gene Rauen Nutrition Science Research Center will enable our faculty to mentor the next generation of nutrition science researchers and practitioners,” says Audrey Shillington, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. “This donation will be critical in advancing nutrition science by providing essential funding for cutting-edge research, innovative facilities, and hands-on, high-impact learning opportunities. Such support will enable a deeper exploration into pressing nutritional challenges, from combating food insecurity to advancing personalized nutrition. Ultimately, this donation will empower us to drive scientific progress, influence policy, and train future leaders in nutrition science. I am deeply grateful.”

The center is named in honor of Molly and Gene Rauen, whose generous gift will support generations of Spartans. Photo courtesy of the Rauen family.

“The generosity of Molly and Gene Rauen has impacted our students, faculty, and department in multiple ways,” adds Ashwini Wagle, chair of the Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging. “For the last two decades or more, graduate students have received $1,000 assistance awards for research. Since 2022, the additional funds have helped our graduate students and faculty expand their research. Our undergraduate students now receive $1,000 each, and graduate students receive $2,500 each for their research and professional development.” 

The next chapter

The latest gift from the Rauen family is poised to make an even greater impact, providing the funding necessary to build a one-of-a-kind nutrition research center. The facility will offer both students and faculty a collaborative space to engage in cutting-edge nutrition and food science research.

“The lab will provide students and faculty with a platform for clinical research focusing on basic nutritional science, medical nutrition therapy, sports nutrition and community-based research with a focus on nutrition education,” says Wagle. “This will be a game-changer in how we support student research and provide hands-on experiences that truly make a difference.”

A legacy rooted in education

The Rauens’ commitment to San José State is deeply rooted in their shared belief in the power of education, particularly in providing access to student and faculty research opportunities. Their  support of SJSU was not only about the institution, but also about making a broader impact on students’ lives. Their values were shaped by their family’s history of resilience and dedication to education, even in difficult times.

Molly’s mother became a teacher in the 1920s, and when her husband lost his job during the Great Depression, she became the primary breadwinner, providing for three generations under one roof. Her mother returned to school to earn her master’s degree at Case Western Reserve while teaching five days a week and supporting her entire family. She believed wholeheartedly in the power of education, which became her pride and joy. This unwavering dedication to learning deeply influenced Molly, who carried that appreciation for education throughout her life.

Molly Rauen: A pioneer in nutrition science

Molly Rauen led a successful career as a registered dietitian after completing her graduate studies at SJSU. Photo courtesy of the Rauen family.

Molly’s own educational journey began in Ohio, where she earned her undergraduate degree in the 1950s. She later obtained a certificate in nutrition science from Duke University and met Gene, a talented photographer who transitioned into a career in law. The couple married and built a life centered around service and learning, with Molly pursuing further education, including graduate work at San José State University.

Molly’s master’s thesis research at SJSU, which focused on the dietary treatment of individuals suffering from morbid obesity, was groundbreaking and significantly advanced the understanding of nutritional interventions for patients undergoing surgical bypass procedures. Her family says she was enormously proud of the work she did at San José State, especially with her mentor, then-Chair of Dietetics and Food Department Rose Tseng.

Molly’s dedication to her field continued throughout her career as she served as a registered dietitian for Santa Clara County, always with an eye toward improving public health and nutrition.

A vision for the future

After Gene passed away in 2020, Molly considered how to honor his memory while ensuring their family’s legacy of support for San José State would continue. She remained deeply connected to the university and was particularly excited about the possibility of helping to establish a nutrition science center at her alma mater.

Though Molly passed away in 2023, her vision lives on through the establishment of the Molly and Gene Rauen Nutrition Science Research Center at SJSU. 

Looking ahead

As the plans for the research center take shape, Wagle highlights the incredible potential the center holds for both students and faculty.

“The Molly and Gene Rauen Nutrition Research Center will provide a gateway for engaging undergraduates in research alongside graduate students,” she says. “Student research is a high-impact practice that helps increase retention and engagement while also enriching faculty research. The professionals we send into the field will be more comfortable conducting and understanding research, and they’ll be equipped to apply those skills in their work.”

In addition to fostering academic growth, the Rauen family’s gift will continue to inspire future generations of students to pursue their dreams and engage in hands-on research that addresses some of the most pressing challenges in nutrition and food science.

Through their generosity, Molly and Gene Rauen have ensured that San José State University remains a leader in nutrition science education and research while also honoring their legacy of service and commitment to education.

“Arm and Pat were lifelong advocates for the students at SJSU,” Smith recalls. “For years, they volunteered their free time and money to ensure students knew how to navigate the college system of scholarships and how to stay on track to receive their degrees. Their friendships also provided guidance for students and eased the loneliness that some students face when away from home.”

The Hanzad legacy lives on in an endowment they established to create scholarships, which Smith describes as a “continuation of the care they always had for the students at SJSU.”

“I grew up in a Catholic family and went to seminary at age 13 with the intention of becoming a missionary priest. But after two years, I realized I no longer had the calling to become a priest. The first time I was enrolled at SJSU, I was in the humanities program. But in my third semester, I quit going to class and in October 1966 joined the Navy. After boot camp, I served on a spy ship in Vietnam. And after Vietnam, I qualified to be part of the submarine force.

After leaving the military in 1970, I returned to college, a much more motivated student. While studying psychology at SJSU, I decided I wanted to go to med school. It was a terrible time to apply to med schools, one of the highest periods of applicants in American history. My psychology professor, Jim Hawkins, said: “Just in case you don’t get into med school, apply to grad school here.” Which I did. And that was when I met Judy.

Long story short, I eventually did get my medical degree from Texas A&M (after earning a PhD in science education from the University of Texas at Austin). And along the way, I concluded there are two kinds of physicians: surgeons and people who manage illness. Surgeons believe they cut it out and it’s done. The rest of us manage illnesses. After my psychiatric rotation as a resident, I finally knew: this is it! I love psychiatry. It’s a profession that involves a lot of nuance and art, as opposed to medicine—which is a lot of numbers.

My wife and I both came from modest backgrounds. I did work-study at San Jose State. But I’ve also been lucky. I’ve had lots of opportunities. And I want someone else to have those opportunities. People deserve to achieve all that they can. What makes your life better is the satisfaction of what you’ve accomplished—the toil and effort. To me, that’s what is important.”

He joined the Air Force Reserve, helping place wounded soldiers returning from Vietnam in hospitals, and worked as a bank officer before pursuing a law degree at UC Davis. For four decades, he worked as a personal injury plaintiff’s lawyer in San José while raising three kids, traveling the world while staying connected to his alma mater. In an effort to give back, the Zazuetas established gifts in their wills to the university.

“There’s a reason schools are called ‘alma maters,’” says Zazueta, ’62 Business and Industrial Management. “‘Alma’ means soul and ‘mater’ means mother. I have a great appreciation for the education I received at San José State. Education is the only way a person can advance in life—and I don’t just mean preparation for a job. I mean understanding the world around you. College is the key to opening the door to inquiry and learning how to apply yourself, participate and be involved in your community.”

A member of the Tower Society, the Heritage Society and the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business Community Outreach Board, Zazueta has actively supported fellow Spartans for years. Zazueta is the president of the La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley. In 2020, he will become the first “foreign-born, former farmworker” president of the downtown San José Rotary Club, the ninth largest Rotary club in the nation.

He is motivated to support SJSU in part because of the rising cost of tuition. As an undergraduate, he says university tuition was subsidized in large part by California taxpayers—funding that has been cut time and again in the intervening years.

“I thank California taxpayers for giving this farmworker kid an education,” he says. “I was the beneficiary of a great education. Back then, the burden of paying for an education was mostly borne by the taxpayers, and today that burden has been transferred to the students. I give to SJSU because I feel a real sense of gratitude.”

She taught for 35 years, helping more than 500 undergraduates apply to graduate programs and pursue careers in science, medicine and law. Following her retirement, she donated a house she had purchased for her parents to San José State to fund a charitable remainder trust.

“I had spent my entire teaching career at SJSU,” says Yaffe. “I mentored hundreds of students, many of them the first in their families to go to a university. Most of them were working as well as going to school. I am fortunate to be able to do something for others.”

Yaffe’s teaching career began as an undergraduate at Macalester College, where she took over her professor’s summer class for soldiers returning from World War II. The young scientist went on to earn a fellowship to pursue her PhD before teaching in Tennessee and moving out west with her family. Only a few years after she began teaching full time, her husband died suddenly, leaving her with two small children. Yaffe focused on raising her children while juggling a full course load at San José State. Years later, she married the musician Charles Houser. When the time came to sell her parents’ home, she learned that using the sale of the house to create a charitable remainder trust would not only give her a significant tax deduction and avoid capital gains tax, but the trust would make regular payments to her. SJSU in turn will receive a significant gift to support future generations of Spartans, just as Yaffe envisions.

“With my charitable remainder trust, I receive payments from the trust for the rest of my life—after which point the university receives the remainder to fund scholarships forever. A win-win situation,” she says. “SJSU was my focus, and it seemed natural to support it.”

Years later, after teaching in the U.S. Virgin Islands and earning a National Science Foundation fellowship to pursue a master’s degree, Louise began teaching high school math in Mountain View. It was there that she met fellow teacher Jim Dunaway, ’67 Teaching Credential, who, like her, considered teaching math to be “the best job in the world.” Nearly 50 years later, the Dunaways have established a charitable remainder trust that will create endowed scholarships and awards for future math teachers at San José State.”I hope that our scholarship recipients really love what they are doing and are encouraged to stay within the profession,” says Louise. “We need good teachers—we need dedicated people. I hope that the students feel validated for all their efforts and hard work.”

Jim worked as an industrial engineer before coming to San José, where he realized teaching was his true calling. For decades he and Louise taught at the same school, often staying after school to sponsor math clubs, tutor students and organize field trips to college math lectures. Louise hosted Saturday workshops to encourage girls to study math.

When they retired in the mid-1990s, the Dunaways wanted to share their love for teaching with the next generation. They turned to Jim’s alma mater where, in 2018, they began making annual contributions to award scholarships to math majors pursuing either single-subject or multiple-subject teaching credentials. They also established charitable gift annuities at the University of Mount Union and at Fresno State, where Jim earned his bachelor’s degree. Now, they have the opportunity to meet scholarship recipients every year and witness the impact of their gifts.

“We both loved teaching mathematics,” says Jim. “We wanted to encourage other people to get the same joy out of what they do in life.”

Louise says that without the support of her college dean all those years ago or the NSF fellowship, she probably would not have been able to get an education. Decades later, she is paying her gratitude forward.

“You hear people say they are ‘self-made,’ that they accomplished everything themselves,” she says. “No one ever achieves anything entirely by themselves. I always felt if there were some opportunity for us to provide help to somebody else, I would like us to do it.”

Following their retirement, the Dongs learned that by donating one of their rentals to San José State via a charitable remainder trust, they could get a large tax deduction, bypass the capital gains and receive a nice income. The remainder from their trust will establish a scholarship benefiting underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students, creating opportunities for future generations.

“I hope that our gift will help kids go to college—and I hope that San José State will have enough support to make them successful,” says Janice, ’64 Elementary Education. “The money that went into the charitable remainder trust is the full amount the house sold for, rather than taking off the capital gains and having a smaller amount to invest. Since we don’t have kids, our money can go to other kids. It’s very advantageous.”

The Dongs met as undergraduates at the University of Redlands, where Janice was studying psychology. The son of a gardener, Ron received a scholarship and worked to support himself, becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college. He served in the Navy before he and Janice moved to San José to begin their teaching careers. When they weren’t teaching, they traveled the world or drove across the country in their RV. After retiring, they researched ways to give back to students who they felt needed the most support. They met with a planned giving officer at San José State to learn how they could make an impact.

“It’s important to be educated about the pros and cons of giving in different ways,” says Janice. “Find a wonderful person like Randy Balogh, SJSU’s director of planned giving, to walk you through the giving process.”

The Dongs describe their annual income from the trust as “travel money.” They recommend that prospective donors consider charitable remainder trusts as a mutually beneficial way to pay success forward.

“We set up our gift in 1991, at a time when affirmative action was coming under the gun,” says Janice. “We decided to set up a scholarship for underrepresented minorities to ensure they had a chance.”

Half of that gift will support the development of a new football operations center, and the other half will create three endowments: the Caplan Family Faculty Fellowship in the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, the Caplan Family Teacher Innovation Fund in the Connie L. Lurie College of Education, and a Spartan Athletics Fund Scholarship endowment.

“With our hearts full of appreciation, our contribution acknowledges the gift of education we received as young adults,” says Steve, ’65 Industrial Management. “We hope these gifts will enable San José State to continue its good work for future generations of students and student-athletes. We also wish to model philanthropic behavior for our family members, friends and future generations of Spartans.”

Steve joined KBM Workspace, an office furniture and design company, when he was a senior at San José State and purchased the company in 1984, becoming its owner and president while helping it grow. He is a current and founding board member of the Tower Foundation of SJSU, an auxiliary organization that handles the investment, administration and banking of SJSU’s philanthropic donations.

Cheryl, ’67 Social Science, ’68 Teaching Credential, taught public school after graduating from San José State. As the mother of two energetic young boys, she volunteered in the rural Loma Prieta School District and worked with the principal and superintendent, researching and implementing curriculum, and creating a preschool testing program that helped parents, teachers and children prepare for kindergarten. Cheryl became well versed in the challenges facing education, particularly good communication between the school and families, adequate funding and the need for creative ideas to prepare excellent teachers.

Steve and Cheryl recognize the key role San José State plays in the economic well-being of Silicon Valley. They hope their gift will enable SJSU to inspire future generations, build a stronger foundation for Spartan football and Intercollegiate Athletics, and encourage others to invest in the academic mission of the university.

Not long after enrolling in the program, Jochim and his wife Bauchin realized that between receiving his pension and his salary, they would soon be owing more than they had planned on their taxes. Jochim consulted with a gift planner at SJSU and was surprised to learn he could secure a guaranteed annuity payment, receive a sizable income tax deduction and leave a significant gift to SJSU, all by establishing a charitable gift annuity.

“A charitable gift annuity really works for me. It would probably help a lot of others in my situation,” he says. “Most gift planning options do not provide tax advantages while you’re living, so charitable gift annuities are unique. I’m giving the gift while I’m living and receiving the benefits today. SJSU will also get a nice gift when I pass on.”

In addition to the tax benefits, Jochim learned about another nice feature of charitable gift annuities: he can defer his guaranteed payments for higher payments later in life when they are most needed for things like medical expenses and long-term care. Knowing the gift will eventually create an endowment for the College of Humanities and the Arts is rewarding, he says. Though Eastern religion and culture have been his longtime academic focus, Jochim and his wife enjoy attending SJSU performances, art shows, theatrical productions and lectures. It is important to him to support not just religious studies, but humanities and the arts as a whole.

“If you’re considering giving charitable donations, think about San José State,” he says. “It’s worth your while and has great academic programs that are in many ways hidden jewels. I’ve always known that if I’m going to support any institution, it’s going to be SJSU.”

“Because of my excellent professors, I’ve been successful and am able to give back to the school that did so much for me,” says Burch, ’72 Business.

With state support drastically reduced from when he was in college, he believes that the need for private contributions is even more critical. Burch has backed up that belief with action.

He has already endowed three scholarships, one in business and two that honor family members. Burch honored his mother with a named scholarship in the School of Music and established another for students studying physical therapy that honors his late brother, whose life was cut short at age 18.

Burch has made provisions through his estate to add significantly to these funds. He also has provisions to establish two charitable gift annuities via his estate. They will provide a family member and a close friend with guaranteed payments for life and a future additional gift to SJSU.

“I am proud that my education provided me with a life where I am now able to give back,” he says. “I encourage all alumni to give back. Give to the university, a college, a program or a scholarship. Your gifts can help give current and future students the same great start that I received at SJSU.”

“I didn’t have time for the experience of being in a fraternity, going to football games or all the other social activities college offers,” says Thomas, ’90 Aerospace Engineering.

Since pursuing a successful career in aerospace, Thomas decided to create a bequest in his living trust that will afford students that campus life experience. Through scholarships and support of other student needs in aviation and technology, his bequest will give students opportunities for exciting careers. It will also ensure the continuation of the aviation program—important given that SJSU was the only public university that offered such a program when he attended.

When Thomas meets fellow donors at SJSU events, he is reminded of the sense of family he felt when he was a student. That’s why he has started to fund the scholarship now, so he can personally experience giving it to a student—another member of the San José State family.

“Getting reconnected to San José State as a donor has exceeded my expectations,” he says. “I only wish I had done this years ago.”

Together Gary and Eileen realized that by investing in education, they could multiply their impact on the community.

“Education has always been a central focus for our family,” says Gary, ’64 Business Administration, ’66 MBA. “To be a well-rounded student, you need to see what’s going on in your community, how you might contribute. It’s best to learn that early.”

Throughout his 35-year career at HP, Gary never forgot the value of his San José State education. At the time that he pursued his degrees, he lived in married student housing opposite Spartan Stadium (now CEFCU Stadium, Home of the Spartans). Rent was $37.50 a month and tuition averaged $35 a semester. He juggled part-time work while raising two young children and completing his studies. Meanwhile, Eileen pursued her education in Colorado, thanks to the support of her parents and student loans. Both believe that affordable education is the bedrock of creating healthy, sustainable communities—which is why they have decided to give back to San José State.

“Knowledge is power,” says Gary. “Education contributes broadly to global economics, gender equality, health, good governance and stability.”

By establishing a charitable gift annuity at San José State, they are creating opportunities for future Spartans—students and faculty members alike—while receiving tax benefits and guaranteed payments for life. Gary says that funding the gift with highly appreciated securities (investments that have increased in value from the time they were purchased) provides them with a tax deduction, allows them to reduce their tax holdings and lessens their exposure to market fluctuations. They receive a guaranteed annual income while San José State is provided with a significant future gift.

“From our perspective, everyone wins,” says Gary. “We can gain satisfaction in supporting education, which is something we are passionate about. I received a quality education from SJSU at a bargain price, which contributed greatly to the success I achieved in my career. This gift gives us much personal satisfaction.”

“We hope our gift encourages some students to take advantage of opportunities to develop skills that will favorably impact them and the society in which they live,” says Eileen.

“Somebody with a disability has to work doubly hard, triply hard on their education. Often they can’t work and pursue a college education at the same time. This potentially creates an economic burden,” he says. “That’s when I realized that I have the ability to give these students an opportunity for a better future.”

Sessions knew he wanted to create opportunities for Spartans living with learning difficulties, but wasn’t sure where to start.

“The best way to get started with giving is to meet with the people in University Advancement,” he says. “They provide excellent advice on the best approach to helping students while meeting your giving goals.”

After discussing his options, Sessions decided to establish a scholarship at the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business for students with disabilities through the Accessible Education Center by designating San José State beneficiary in his retirement plan. He sees the opportunity to support Spartans living with disabilities as a way to shed light on the otherwise invisible problems some students face.

“This scholarship is recognition of a potentially underserved student population that people don’t think of,” he says. “You cannot always see learning disabilities. Sometimes students don’t even know they have a disability. When we think of disabilities, we think of have ramps for wheelchairs. Where are the ramps for dyslexics?”

Sessions envisions the future recipients of the AEC scholarship finding the resources they need to achieve in school and beyond. His message for students with disabilities reflects his experience as a dyslexic student, businessperson and parent: “Most dyslexics are bright, but they run into this learning roadblock,” he says. “Yes, you have to try harder. Don’t let that hold you back.”

Though Mark’s G.I. Bill helped pay for college, the 22-year-old was motivated to get through college quickly.

“I was married and I had a pregnant wife,” says Mark, ’78 Accounting. “I took up to 20 units a semester so I could get through college in three years and a semester. Three days after I took my last final, I was working at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where I stayed for 22 years as an assurance partner in their technology sector. After a brief stint as a CFO at a software company, I returned to public accounting as a managing partner at Burr Pilger Mayer. I ended up having a 35-year accounting career, which I wouldn’t have had without San Jose State. That’s one of the reasons we felt it important to give back.”

Accounting offered Mark stability and helped him build skills in sales, marketing, business and finance. Kathy worked as a medical technologist at Good Samaritan Hospital while they raised two daughters. After they retired, the longtime annual supporters of SJSU established the Mark and Kathy Loveless Scholarship for service members and military veterans in the accounting department.

“San Jose State gave us a good life and we wanted to aid those who have done service for our country and now need help continuing their studies so they can go on to be productive citizens,” says Kathy.

After meeting scholarship recipients and seeing the difference their support made, Mark and Kathy provided a provision in their estate plan to permanently endow the fund. Veterans and service members will continue to benefit from their generosity for years to come.

“Generally, veterans or service members are in their 20s, and chances are, they have been on their own for a while,” says Mark. “They may be further along in their lives so it’s harder for them to take off the time to get an education. I remember how scarce the money was when we were doing it. Hopefully our scholarship helps.”

In recent years, Taddeo recognized the lack of diversity in his field, and when he learned about planned gift opportunities at SJSU, he seized the chance to create professional opportunities for women and people of color, who are often underrepresented in science.

“I realized that I had the chance to establish a legacy,” says Taddeo. “By designating SJSU as a beneficiary of my estate, I am creating something with societal impact. My hope is that I can have some small effect steering the ship of software development toward a more inclusive future.”

Taddeo established a scholarship to support students pursuing computer science, with special consideration given to participants of Girls Who Code, Women in Engineering, as well as returning students whose studies had been interrupted while they raised families.
He was pleased to discover that a beneficiary designation supersedes provisions of a will. Establishing the gift itself was straightforward—Taddeo directed several accounts to SJSU via beneficiary designation, while leaving the rest to heirs through his unchanged will.
“Right now, I’m living on the dividends and interest earned by the money I’ve aimed at San José State,” says Taddeo. “I am able to live off the proceeds, and by establishing SJSU as a beneficiary, it’s fairly easy to create a legacy.”

Since retiring from tech, Taddeo has volunteered as a tutor with Project Second Chance, a Contra Costa County initiative to support English language learners, and Senior Scholars, which pairs seniors with middle school and elementary school students. Both experiences have reinforced his decision to support higher education.

“I encourage people to consider giving, whether it be during your lifetime or after you’re gone,” says Taddeo. “We can only run a planet with people who learn things. Education is key.”

Taddeo looks forward to the day that humans explore space’s outer limits. Perhaps his gift will support the next women astronauts to explore the solar system.

Following their retirement, White and Bloomberg decided to bequeath a gift to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library to provide long-term support to the library and maintain resources for the benefit of the Comparative Religious Studies program at San José State.

As San José State’s minister, White became active in the local civil rights movement, which attracted the eye of then-President Robert Clark. In 1967, as student activists spoke out about housing discrimination, the segregation of fraternities and sororities, and improved conditions for students of all backgrounds, Clark appointed White as ombudsman to serve as a liaison between students and the administration. White made civil rights a priority in his college days at the University of Alabama and as an Air Force chaplain in Lincoln, Nebraska.

One of his first meetings was with then-sociology lecturer Harry Edwards, ’64 Sociology, ’16 Honorary Doctorate.
“Harry wanted to know why this white man from Alabama had been appointed as ombudsman during a time of such racial turmoil,” says White. “He said he didn’t know what to think. But I listened and he gave me time and together we worked hard. Harry was a hero of mine in many respects.”

During the 1967-1968 academic year, White traveled across the United States, giving talks about his newly created role and how campus leaders could facilitate productive conversations. His wife was busy at home with two young sons, but that year remains in their memory as the beginning of something important.

White helped create the religious studies department in 1970 and dedicated many years to teaching. Throughout his tenure, White stayed active on campus committees, as well as athletics and in his church. Whether they were advocating for social change in the Midwest or galvanizing support for underrepresented students in San José, White and Bloomberg’s life have had a life of service.

“The religious studies program was an important part of why I wanted to leave money to the library,” says White. “SJSU was my life for decades and it’s a wonderful university.”

“We came to San José in 1961—and nearly 60 years later, we’re still here,” says Bloomberg. “We felt that San José State was the right place for us to leave a legacy.”

“I spent most of my life living in libraries, whether I was working in them or not,” says Sandler, ’93 MLIS. “I really liked library school.” Sandler described the feeling of building up a library collection as “euphoria.”

Sandler and her husband Robert D. Altman made SJSU the recipient of a gift for $250,000 in their living trust. Half will go to scholarships for students in San Jose State’s School of Information (iSchool), and half will support student research in the Library Research Scholars Program at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. “When I heard about the program with King Library, student intensive research,” she said, “I thought that sounds like something I would like to support too.”

Sandler and Altman make annual gifts to support the School of Information Alumni and Friends Scholarship, and they decided to arrange a planned gift as well. “I want to help out the iSchool specifically because I don’t want to see the profession tank, I want to see it thrive,” Sandler said. “There’s always going to be a need for a library. Library science is changing, with artificial intelligence and automation,” she explained. “And I want to see the field survive – however it evolves as a field.”

Sandler was a librarian at Westwood College (Anaheim campus) for 12 years, and for the past eight years was a librarian for her synagogue, Temple Beth David. A “passionate” specialist in Judaica and Jewish genealogy and longtime president of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Orange County, Sandler has assisted numerous institutions with her expertise for more than 30 years. “I have about 3,850 books in my catalog,” she said, “including the 215 volumes in my garage.” She described how she views her chosen profession: “To help guide people to the right places.”

“Michelle likes the idea of supporting scholarships because she thinks everyone should have an opportunity like she had,” added Altman, who worked at Boeing and graduated from UC Irvine’s engineering school. “And why now? Why not now? Now is the time to think about it, not after we’re gone.”

“My world is libraries,” Sandler added, “Maybe I can make a difference.”

You can join Michelle and Robert leaving a legacy at San Jose State. Help us realize the university’s potential as a nationally prominent urban public university with a gift in your will or a gift that pays you income to support the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library and benefit current and future Spartans. Learn how you can make a legacy gift at Legacy.sjsu.edu.

When Chris retired from coaching gymnastics last year, the Swirceks decided to support the university. 

“We knew what we wanted to do,” Chris said. “We both went to San José State, and it had a huge impact on our lives. The value of our education wasn’t just in what we’re taught in the classroom. It’s the way professors at San José State interact with students. They care.”

The Shelley and Chris Swircek Endowment for Education will provide multiple scholarships for students preparing to become teachers. Establishing a bequest to the Lurie College of Education was “a very easy process,” Shelley said. “Chris and I are young, but we have always thought ahead. We’re planners,” Shelley said. “I think that put us where we are right now.”

Shelley taught first, second and third grade at Tom Matsumoto Elementary School in Evergreen School District. In 2007, the tutoring practice she operated out of a one-room office bloomed into what became Silver Creek Academy, a successful business that provides year-round academic support: tutoring, small group courses, themed camps and test prep.

“The motivation for our gift comes largely from Shelley’s being a teacher educated at San José State,” Chris added. “We both believe in education. We know the value of it. We’re able to give other people the opportunity to have that chance.”

Shelley always wanted to be a teacher. “Teachers have made a difference in my life,” she said. “Going to San José State was a wonderful experience. I want to provide the opportunity for other teachers to follow their dreams.”

While at SJSU, Chris was on the gymnastics team, and as a gymnastics coach for 15 years at Stanford he taught, mentored and trained 53 All-Americans and three national champions. Shelley once ranked third in the nation and earned a spot on the U.S. National Team.

“We wanted to be able to do some good in the world, so there’s some continued benefit from our hard work,” Chris said. “Hopefully it’s going to help a lot of people, and we’ll maybe make the world slightly better.”

Sheffield, a retired entrepreneur and marketing professional, shares her belief in the next generation. Together they have established two charitable gift annuities with San José State to support future Spartans pursuing their degrees.

“The biggest investment for San José is San José State—the 35,000 students who attend and graduate with degrees,” says Sheffield. “They are going to contribute to society. You can look at it from a financial standpoint, a social standpoint, an educational standpoint. It’s all positive.”

Originally from the East Coast, the Clarkes moved to San José in 1975 and raised three children downtown, not far from campus. They witnessed how challenging it could be for first-time college students to stay in school. The Clarkes created their first charitable gift annuity of $50,000 with SJSU in 2012 and designated the remainder to create an endowment for a university-wide scholarship.

“Through one of our son’s friends we experienced firsthand how lack of support in a crisis can cause a kid to consider leaving college,” says Ann. “A timely helping hand can keep a young person going on a difficult path.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced additional obstacles for SJSU students, especially those who have lost work, had to relocate or care for family members. In spring 2020, the Clarkes established a $100,000 charitable gift annuity and designated the remainder to the SJSU Student Crisis Support Fund, with the hopes of assisting students facing future emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to supporting causes they care about, charitable gift annuities also provide them with a guaranteed income for life and tax advantages.

“There are so many first-generation students at San José State, and that’s critically important,” says Sheffield. “This particular fund attracted us because if there’s a serious student who has the capability to pursue their degree but runs into a problem, we want to make sure that person stays in school and graduates. That’s the most important thing because education provides the keys to the kingdom.”

Carmen had been living in San Francisco and was learning to ski when she crashed into John as he was waiting to ascend the ski lift, puncturing his jacket with her ski pole. She offered to repair the jacket, later returning it to him with a makeshift patch. Within a year they were married. Throughout their 52 years together, John would often share his memories of San José State, which Carmen describes as “among the happiest times of his life.” Late in life, he established the John M. Aitken Business Scholarship Award for undergraduates in the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business. A few years after his death, Carmen accelerated the bequest to help students now.

“I care about the university because John cared about the university, and anything that was near and dear to his heart became near and dear to my heart as well,” says Carmen. “John was the love and joy of my life for 52 years. He enjoyed his four years at SJSU so much. His time there, his interactions with professors, staff and student body helped shape who he became.”

For 26 years, John sold advertising for CBS radio and television and NBC and was inducted into the Northern California Broadcast Legends Organization Hall of Fame in 1990. He wanted to encourage students to study business, be active in student government and engage with their communities.

“I would like recipients of the John M. Aitken Business Scholarship Award to do well and be mindful that someone at some time helped them along their life’s journey and that, if possible, they should continue the tradition of giving back if they are in a position to do so,” she says. “I admire people who give their time, talent and treasures to education, philanthropy or community engagement.”

She recalls staring at a painting of a storm at sea, contemplating where her career in physical education would take her. Would she be a P.E. teacher, a scientist, an academic? Little did she know, she’d become all three, once she’d laid the foundation at San José State. “I started loving the library because if libraries can provide you with a quiet place to study and a gorgeous picture to look up at while you’re thinking, they must be worth a lot,” says Christensen.

Originally from Los Angeles, Christensen was attracted to San José State’s women’s physical education program, which was at the time one of the best in the state. Exercise science combined her passions of physical activity and the mechanics behind how bodies move. The first in her family to graduate from college, Christensen earned a master’s degree in ergonomics from UC Santa Barbara and a doctorate in health, physical education from the University of Utah. When it was time to find a faculty job, Christensen returned to her alma mater. She dedicated 25 years to SJSU, serving as a professor, assistant dean and dean of the College of the Applied Sciences and Arts before retiring in 2004. In retirement, she earmarked a percentage of the residual of her estate that is in her trust, equivalent to $200,000, for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at San José State.

“The university gave me the basis of my career–and my career,” she says. “It provided me with a very high quality of life in retirement. The library is used by all students, and because it’s a city-university partnership, it benefits the public as well. I give to the university because it gave me so much. There’s no reason not to give back.”

They credit Dr. Halmi and her staff, as well as the nurses and doctors she has encountered in the years since, for helping Bremis recover. In an effort to support future nurses, Bremis has named San José State as a beneficiary in her estate, establishing the Janice E. Bremis Nursing Scholarship as a permanent endowment to provide scholarships to undergraduate nursing students, especially those transferring from community college.

“I have benefited from nursing all my life, between my injuries and my longtime eating disorder,” says Bremis. She started working in hospitals at age 17 to pay for college, and has dedicated 40 years to working in healthcare with nurses and healthcare professionals. “My hat goes off to nurses. They are my heroes. There will always be a need for hero nurses.”

In 2006, Bremis resolved to create a space for those struggling with and recovering from eating disorders. And thus the Eating Disorders Resource Center of Silicon Valley was born, a place where community members can join support groups, search for local resources, partner with healthcare providers to provide up-to-date information on eating disorder symptoms and treatment and lobby the government for better healthcare coverage. Through her more than 30 years fundraising for nonprofits, Bremis realized that she could expand her impact in healthcare by supporting the next generation of nurses.

“While ensuring for the well-being of your family, you can also designate a specific amount or percentage of your estate, however modest, to your favorite non-profit,” says Bremis. “These funds will help improve the quality of lives of your families, friends, neighbors and the greater community. I am inspired by the legacy of my many San José State University alumni who have recognized the value of giving back by investing in the future of our next generation.”

Solving the mystery of these artifacts — which he discovered involved the Frolic, a shipwrecked boat carrying goods from Boston to San Francisco near the height of the California Gold Rush in 1850 — was a four decades-long journey. Layton pieced together the history of the coast using national archives, historical societies and collections.

For Layton, history is an essential part of the human experience. That’s why, in addition to his career as a professor and academic, he has dedicated more than 34 years to managing and curating the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History at San José State.

He invests time and money into purchasing images for the collection, making history tangible for future generations, while giving generously to SJSU activities and programming that he cares about like the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. He also named the Sourisseau Academy as the remainder beneficiary of his retirement account. This allows him to witness the impact of his contributions while setting aside any residual in his IRA to support his desired purpose.

“In my research as a historical archeologist, I’ve depended upon archives — the Society of California Pioneers, the California State Library, the National Archives, the Peabody Museum at the Salem and Massachusetts Historical Society, among others,” he said. “I became aware of the value of these repositories where families and others have donated their papers and their photographs for somebody in the future to use in their research.”

The Sourisseau Academy was established by Eva Sourisseau in 1971 to archive a written and visual history of the Santa Clara Valley, including business records, family letters, organizational papers, travel journals, photographs and personal diaries.

Layton became involved as a young professor, when he was recruited to join the academy’s board. Over the years, he has cultivated a community of patrons, together with whom he has purchased more than 70,000 historic images for the collection.
“One of the best ways to see the direct effect of your donation is to give to specific projects that you care about,” he said. “I wanted to feel the satisfaction of seeing that something I’ve done has made a difference.”

Like so many of SJSU’s grads, Connie was the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year university. Although she worked fulltime throughout college, she had never had an internship even though they provide students with valuable professional experience and networking opportunities.
She decided to apply and ended up getting the internship at the real estate company, BRE Properties, Inc., Connie was hired full-time six months later upon graduating from SJSU, joining two other interns with MBAs from Stanford.

Connie’s performance was so impressive that the company leaders entrusted her with one of its most troubled assets. Weeks into her new role, Connie was flying first-class across the country to Memphis, Tennessee, to develop a budget and a strategic plan for the property to reduce, if possible, the $6 million expected loss.

After working at BRE Properties for six years and quickly moving up the ranks, Connie left the company for another opportunity, only to return 20 years later as its president, CEO, and member of the Board of Directors. She was only the third CEO in BRE Properties’ history, and would serve in that role for close to a decade before merging the company with another REIT in 2014.

“Becoming a CEO never crossed my mind growing up,” Connie said. “I didn’t even know what a CEO was. SJSU provided me the skills and the confidence to imagine that anything was possible, which is why I’m so appreciative of the school. I know what an extraordinary difference SJSU made in my life”

Because of the significant impact that her time at SJSU had on her career and life, Connie has been a loyal supporter of her alma mater and is heavily involved in SJSU affairs. Since 2007, Connie has been a member of the Tower Foundation Board of Directors, twice serving as its Chair. She has also attended numerous leadership, fundraising, and networking events hosted by the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business and the SJSU Alumni Association.

Recently, Connie made provisions for a substantial future gift to SJSU through her estate by naming the Tower Foundation of SJSU as an estate beneficiary. The unrestricted funds will be used for scholarships, research, or facilities, giving the university president broad flexibility to fulfill the most pressing initiatives or needs across campus.

Connie said she made the gift unrestricted because she recognized that California’s public universities, such as San José State, are no longer fully state-funded. These days, they are “state-supported” or only partially funded, which means funding gaps must be filled through other means.

Connie’s gift will help ensure future SJSU students will have the financial support they need to pay for their education and go on to transform their lives as Connie’s SJSU degree did for her.

The gift is not the first gift Connie and her husband, Roger Greer, have made to SJSU. Earlier they created an endowment, in honor of her professor that suggested she apply for the internship at BRE, for the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business.

Giving to SJSU is simply Connie’s way of passing on the good fortune she received from the university so students can benefit for years to come.

“It’s never been about me,” Connie said. “It’s all about: What does this school need to achieve its mission? And how does SJSU help to transform students’ lives?”

Di Salvo dedicated five decades of his life to public service, including 33 years as a teacher and school administrator, three years as a personnel commissioner for the Santa Clara County Office of Education, eight years as a citizen representative to the San José Arena Authority and since 2008 he is a publicly-elected member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education, representing 145,000 registered voters and their children.

In recent years, he has taught courses in the graduate school of education and most recently the justice studies department in the College of Social Sciences at San José State.

As he was teaching youth in juvenile halls or exploring education policy at the regional and state level, Di Salvo witnessed how powerful it was for underrepresented students to learn from educators and civic leaders who look like them, sound like them and come from similar backgrounds. Teaching at San José State further fueled his desire to encourage diverse, low-income and first-generation students interested in these issues to pursue higher education — and make their dreams a reality.

“Half of my Justice Studies students are going into law enforcement or related fields, and if they can be sensitive to issues of race and gender inequality, they’re going to be better community advocates,” he says.

Di Salvo and his wife, SJSU Public Relations Lecturer Christine Di Salvo, ’84 Public Relations, ’02 MPA, approached SJSU’s Planned Giving team to discuss how they could make an impact. Ultimately, they decided to create, via their living trust, a future scholarship for underrepresented students majoring in Justice Studies.

“Whether they do that through teaching, law enforcement or working with community task forces, I hope I can help those who wish to have an impact.

“My message for other donors is this: Take your passion about the world and see how a gift to SJSU could accelerate or launch that passion for others. I am privileged to be able to create this scholarship; it is the very, very small role I play in changing the world.”

An Air Force veteran who served in the Tuskegee Airmen’s 99th Pursuit Squadron — the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps — Byrd became an aeronautical research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center. 

During the 1950s, he headed the Palo Alto chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He began teaching at San José State in 1959 and became an associate professor in 1974 after retiring from NASA.

Byrd was a pioneer of pure and applied mathematics in an era when historic and institutionalized racism limited opportunities for people of color in STEM fields. This showed Bekins, who was also forging new territory as a woman in science, that it is possible to overcome great adversity in work — and in life. She, too, could contribute to her field and inspire others along the way.

A longtime supporter of SJSU scholarships and STEM activities for women and girls, Bekins wants to create opportunities for aspiring mathematicians, scientists and educators from diverse backgrounds. That’s why she has designated the Paul F. Byrd Scholarship Endowment in the College of Science as a beneficiary of her retirement plan.

“The Paul Byrd Fund is a student scholarship targeted for underrepresented minorities, so it aligns with my long-term priorities for supporting scholarships,” says Bekins. “Math is a gateway to a lot of sciences. There aren’t a lot of jobs for people with a bachelor’s in math except for teaching, and it would certainly be great if we had more diverse math teachers for kids in the classroom.”

Bekins put her own math degrees to work at the United States Geological Survey, where she has dedicated her career to researching the biodegradation of groundwater contaminants. She also dedicated many years to helping lead SJSU’s Expanding Your Horizons conference, which offers hands-on STEM learning on campus for middle-school and high-school girls — an opportunity she would have loved as a child.

For Bekins, there are few things as important as providing access to high-quality education for every child, regardless of gender, race, or nationality. Supporting the Paul F. Byrd Endowment was the next logical step in helping her achieve this goal. It only occurred to her that she could do so after her husband established legacy gifts with a few nonprofits using his 401k and IRA retirement accounts. By giving to an already established scholarship endowment, Bekins is multiplying the impact of her mentor’s legacy.

“It’s nice to remember the professors who made a difference to you, particularly those who have already created funds to support students,” says Bekins. “A little bit of money goes a long way.”

Whether or not she knows it, Bekins is also proof — evidence that women in STEM can make a lasting difference in the field and at San José State.

She recognized the importance of early education and wants to provide assistance to underserved students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to become a teacher. That’s why she established a $1.8 million planned gift naming SJSU as a designated beneficiary of her investment accounts to support students majoring in elementary education in SJSU’s Connie L. Lurie College of Education.

“I loved working with kids and going home at night knowing that I’ve made a difference,” said McKinney from her home in San Francisco. She recalls teaching multiple generations of the same families, running into her students’ parents who remembered her fondly from their own elementary school days.

“She thought SJSU had prepared her well and it was important to her to help other people become teachers, especially grade school teachers,” said her friend Priscilla Robertson.

“Ms. McKinney’s gift to San José State exemplifies her commitment to service,” said Theresa Davis, vice president of University Advancement and CEO of the Tower Foundation. “Not only did she teach generations of children across the Bay Area, her scholarship will support future elementary educators. We are grateful for Ms. McKinney’s example.”

To recognize the role education played in their lives, and to create opportunities for the next generation of Spartans, the couple included a provision in their living trust to establish two $100,000 endowments at San José State. One endowment will provide annual scholarships for students of any major within the College of Health and Human Sciences’ Department of Public Health, and the other will create annual scholarships for graduate students in mechanical engineering at the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering.

Robert Clothier, then the chair of SJSU’s mechanical engineering department, facilitated the opportunity for Carl to join the Lawrence Radiation Lab while he was an undergraduate. After completing his graduate degree, Carl worked at General Electric Nuclear and IBM.

“As a graduate student, SJSU helped me get a teaching job and research grants to help me pay my living expenses,” says Carl, ’69 BS, ’73 MS, Mechanical Engineering. “It was a decisive moment in my life. We feel it’s time to pay it forward.”

Valerie, ’72 Social Work, ’77 MPH, serendipitously found her love of teaching at San José State, which was sparked by an invitation from a professor to teach health sciences. After receiving her MBA from Pepperdine University and EdD from the University of Southern California, she had a fulfilling career teaching at a number of Bay Area colleges and universities. She later served as director of SJSU’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business’ graduate business programs, established the Small Business Development Center of Silicon Valley, and was the director of NASA’s internship program.

Along the way, Valerie began practicing, performing and teaching bellydance — an outlet that became especially important to her when both she and Carl were diagnosed with cancer a few months apart from each other. She says that recovering and healing became personal pathways to share with dance students — a lesson she’d learned during her graduate work at SJSU, where she focused on health promotion and maintenance.

These experiences made the Sermons reflect on their legacy and the opportunities they could create for others.

“Our lives as cancer survivors solidified our desire to give back,” says Carl. “We were already considering giving to the university, but once we had survived cancer, we could see the benefits of helping others financially.”

Valerie adds that surviving the COVID-19 pandemic inspired them to review and update their commitment to San José State.

“Between surviving cancer and living through COVID, we’ve engaged in major reassessments of our lives,” says Valerie. “This year has inspired many to revise their trusts and wills, as well as advanced health care directives. When you see what resources you may need in the future, you can have that conversation to see what you can earmark for others.”

Now retired, the couple have a studio in Los Gatos where Valerie teaches bellydance and Carl has made a second career as a performance photographer. They travel extensively to teach dance and photograph performances at many festivals across the U.S. and abroad.

“San José State supported us when we had great needs,” says Valerie. “Looking back on our lives and reflecting upon our experiences and the education we received, we realized it was time to support and give back.”