Impact of Giving | Give to SJSU

How Gifts Make a Difference

Sabina Ruiz

’23 Accounting

“Five little people and a teen know meas mom and their guide. Here at SJSU, I see the professors as my guides. Being a mom makes me appreciate just how amazing they are and how much they put into our education. When I received my scholarship, it was more than financial support; it was an encouragement. It meant I was being seen, and I really mattered. My scholarship has helped change the trajectory of my story to one of triumph and wins. I am beyond gratefuland proud to be part of SJSU.”

Caleb Dowdell

’23 Pictorial Arts

“My scholarship allowed me to challenge myself in visual art, graphic design, and other aspects of the arts that I love, like music and theater. I love to sing and perform and have had a blast joining SJSU’s jazz singing class. Receiving a scholarship allowed me to afford to live on campus and form tight-knit circles in the dorms, campus clubs, and local open mic events. I have grown so much at SJSU and have had the time of my life.”

Jody Connolly

’23 Nursing

“Receiving a scholarship had a monumental impact on me and my family during my time at The Valley Foundation School of Nursing. As a working mother, this scholarship has lightened my financial burden tremendously and allowed me to truly focus on the most important things–my nursing education and my family. I am incredibly grateful to the donors who give back to help Nursing students pursue their dreams.”

Leo Cortez and the Latino Alumni Network (LAN)

“We wanted to make a difference in the community and help Latino students achieve their dreams of a college education. Through community service, networking, and professional development we have been able to increase our membership and donations to endow a scholarship. We are the first network to do this, and we are proud of our accomplishment. I hope that this endowment will continue to grow and change students' lives through the scholars program. I will continue to push myself and the SJSU LAN board to accomplish bigger and greater things. The endowment was just one. There is definitely more to come.”

Francis "Scotty" Anderson

’72 Public Relations

"My degree in PR changed my life. I loved everyday I was there. Hopefully, it will help them enjoy the ride. When you are in the right major...school is easy. I want them to have the most up-to-date tools."

Gabriele Ondine

’69 Chemistry

"The education I received at SJSU prepared me for a creative and adventurous life. I have had many, many opportunities since I left college and was always able to take advantage of them, rising to the occasion with the wonderful knowledge and many skills I acquired at SJSU. An education is a beautiful thing! I hope my giving will inspire others to do the same. I hope my small gift will help make SJSU a strong and vibrant community. I hope that future students taking advantage of this scholarship opportunity will be knowledgeable and more resilient as a result."

John McLemore

’71 BA, ’75 MA, Political Science

"Because of my SJSU experiences, I've completed three different careers: First, 40-year high tech business career; simultaneously, I proudly served for 26 years in the Army Reserve LTC retirement; and In addition to these achievements, I have been honored to hold elected positions in Bay Area and local government. I want to share in a way that other SJSU students may focus on their education instead of building student loan debt that impedes their future opportunities."

Recognizing Major Gifts

Lupe Diaz Compean

While Lupe Compean never earned a college degree, she understands the value of hard work and is glad to help students. In honor of her late husband, Lupe Compean donated $15 million to San Jose State to support student-focused programs that will give students the opportunity to pursue their own paths. Her advice to students as they move along those paths: "You can do it too. It's no big deal."

Scott Lefaver

Scott Lefaver ’68, ’72 MUP, has championed the Urban and Regional Planning program for 50 years, since he graduated with the first cohort of master’s in urban planning students. A $1 million gift from Lefaver created the first-ever endowed professorship in the College of Social Sciences for the Advanced Certificate Program in Real Estate Development (CRED). Endowed professorships generate funds that faculty can use for research, creative and scholarly activities.

Peter Ueberroth

A Time magazine Person of the Year and author of the bestseller Made in America, he competed in the 1956 U.S. Olympic water polo trials while still a student at SJSU. With some of his college teammates, he helped revive and finance the sport at SJSU in 2015 after a 34-year hiatus. This year, his alma mater honored him with its highest accolade, the SJSU Tower Award.