GIVING
Stars and Skylines: San José State Celebrates Spartans with Honorary Doctorates
By Sam Kamangar Photography by Florian Pilsl
Every spring, San José State bestows honorary doctorate degrees on exemplary alumni whose professional and personal achievements embody the Spartan spirit.
Constance Moore, '77 Business Administration
In May, Constance “Connie” Moore was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of her exceptional career in real estate and dedication to service.
A San José native and first-generation college graduate, Moore’s professional journey began when she was encouraged by Professor George Stauss to interview for an internship at BRE Properties. She joined BRE as an intern, was hired upon graduation, and earned her MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business while working full time. She worked for BRE for six years and climbed the management ladder at multiple real estate organizations. In 2002, Moore was recruited back to BRE, and in 2005, she became president and CEO. She led BRE until its successful merger in 2014.
Beyond her executive leadership, Moore has been a trailblazer on corporate boards and a steadfast advocate for advancing the real estate industry. Her numerous accolades, from the San Francisco Business Times to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, are a testament to her influence and integrity.
Through it all, Moore has remained deeply connected to San José State. An emerita director of San José State University’s Tower Foundation Board of Directors, she served on the board from 2007 to 2025, twice holding the role of chair, and offering invaluable guidance and leadership. In 2010, the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business honored her with the Distinguished Alumna Award. Moore’s journey exemplifies how determination, purpose and the foundation of a San José State education can lead to extraordinary impact and lifelong leadership.
William Borucki, '82 MS Meteorology
This spring, San José State University also awarded an honorary Doctor of Science to William Borucki, ’82 MS Meteorology, a pioneering NASA space scientist whose work fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the cosmos.
Borucki earned two degrees in physics from the University of Wisconsin, grounding him in the scientific rigor that launched his career at the NASA Ames Research Center in 1962. His career at NASA spanned more than five decades. A critical contributor to the Apollo program, his early research helped design the heat shields that carried astronauts safely to and from the moon. Later, he turned his focus to atmospheric modeling and planetary science, earning a graduate degree in meteorology from SJSU.
Borucki’s bold vision launched one of NASA’s most consequential scientific endeavors: the Kepler mission. Starting in the 1980s, he championed the idea of a space-based observatory that could detect Earth-sized planets orbiting distant stars. His persistence and innovation led to the development of the high-precision photometry technology that made Kepler possible. Launched in 2009 under his leadership as principal investigator, the Kepler mission discovered more than 4,000 planetary candidates, confirming that Earth-like worlds are common in our galaxy. The mission also advanced our knowledge of stellar evolution and inspired a new era in exoplanet exploration.
Borucki’s legacy is one of scientific excellence, unwavering curiosity and visionary leadership. His contributions remind us that a Spartan’s pursuit of knowledge can shape not only our world, but worlds beyond our own.
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