Supporters Like You

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.”

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.

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.

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 Jose 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.

“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 Jose 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.”

“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 Jose State family.

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

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 Jose 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.”

Following their retirement, the Dongs learned that by donating one of their rentals to San Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose 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 Jose 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.”

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 Jose 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 Jose 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.”