Giving Back is Good Business

COMMUNITY

Michelle Bolton, Professor Emerita

By Tiffany Harbrecht

On the wall of Michelle Bolton’s, ’78 MBA, home office hangs a vibrant, retro graphic poster of an animated Wonder Woman. With her bright red-rimmed glasses, dangling gold earrings and chic bob haircut, this professor emerita of San José State University’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business (COB) exudes a similar charismatic — and powerful — presence.

As an educator and executive coach, she is no doubt a superhero to the many students, veterans and professionals whom she has taught and mentored over the years. Bolton’s heroic impact will continue on, as she has decided to leave the university in her estate plans with the “hope that San José State continues to play a central, live, flourishing role in the local community.”

After teaching management for 17 years at SJSU and five years at Santa Clara University, Bolton co-founded ExecutiveEdge, an executive coaching business with another San José State Professor Emeritus in the COB, John Baird. After her son joined the military, she became involved with SJSU’s Veterans Resource Center, mentoring veteran students and helping expand the center’s programs. When she gives to San José State, supporting these students is one of her top priorities — the other is supporting business students.

Bolton’s mother is a source of her motivation to support the well-being of others. Her mother did not have a college degree but took college classes as she could throughout her life, when she wasn’t championing social justice causes.

That passion for education and desire for change was passed on to Bolton, who is keenly aware of the financial and socioeconomic disparities in the Bay Area. She believes that public higher education especially can play an important role in dismantling income inequality and increasing social and financial mobility. These are among the reasons she gives to her alma mater San José State versus Stanford, where she earned her bachelor’s degree, and part of why she obtained her MBA at SJSU.

“At San José State, we can have more impact, and maybe other people will follow; maybe other faculty will read this and think, ‘Let’s make a special faculty gift to a program.’ SJSU’s MBA [program] gave me a set of practical, realistic and analytical skills that were incredibly valuable to me, and I want to give back so that more students can get tools that they need for their lives.”

Bolton is also among an outstanding group of COB faculty, some who are also San José State alumni, who have funded scholarships and special programs to help students achieve their dreams. They include: Professors Emeriti Stephen Kwan, Nancie Fimbel and John Baird; Lecturers Gary Radine, '69 Public Relations, Richard Sessions and Vivek Agarwal, ’92 MBA; Professor Timothy R. Hill; and a current professor who prefers to remain anonymous.*

Each and every one of them believes in the potential of SJSU students — and what they can accomplish if unburdened by at least some financial hardship while attending college. Their generosity can be considered heroic not only by the way it has touched and transformed lives but also because of its humility: None of them wants attention, recognition or fanfare. They are more than content with seeing the impact their gifts have made for students, and in turn, their communities, in real time.

Many of these faculty shared memories of someone who helped or inspired them, or an impactful organization that made a difference in their ability to attend college. Often, they were touched by the person’s or group’s ability to lift up others, enrich their lives — thus igniting an inner force to do something similar — and “pay it forward.”

As the anonymous faculty member described, “The choice to give to SJSU was easy. I have taught there for 35 years and see this university as an institution of opportunity. I believe in its power to transform, to let students improve their lives and those of their families and communities.”

According to COB Dean Dan Moshavi, it is quite remarkable that so many faculty members from one college have made such substantial contributions to the university, above and beyond the time and talent they’ve spent educating and mentoring students in their own right.

Collectively, they have given more than 150 years of service to SJSU in teaching, and their gifts top over $1 million.

Reflections of business faculty

Stephen Kwan, Professor Emeritus

When Kwan was a college student, he received financial assistance from his university in the form of short-term loans and a research assistantship. Teaching fellowships helped to support his way through graduate school.

“Without that help, I couldn't be where I am today, so I thought that I should give back to students, my former universities and San José State,” said Kwan. “I saw many of my students [at SJSU] struggling, but they were very good students; they worked hard, some of them had jobs, so I thought doing things like [supporting scholarships] would provide additional rewards and help them along.”

Kwan created his first scholarship after he witnessed one of his students become blind during her senior year of college. Jyotsna Kaki, ’06 Information Systems Management, lost her vision after a surgery to remove a benign brain tumor went awry. Still, she persisted through graduation, learning braille and using accessibility technology. In 2006, she earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems with a 3.8 GPA — and now works for Google, leading their efforts to make products more accessible.

“I really admired that spirit,” said Kwan. “So I named it the Jyotsna Kaki Exemplary Spirit Scholarship. I hope that other [business] students can look at it, and see her as an inspiration for what they can do.”

Kwan has also funded a scholarship in memory of another former student who became a lecturer at San José State and provided additional gifts to support service learning programming that benefits both students and the local community.

Nancie Fimbel, Professor Emerita

Fimbel taught business ethics and business communication for the COB for more than 15 years before moving into a variety of leadership roles, including interim dean and director of development and MBA director.

“When I was a development officer for the COB, an engineering student came to me saying the university should have a student-managed investment fund,” she said. “I thought he was right. When I retired, I decided to start it myself.”

Fimbel did not stop there; today, she provides the $10,000 first-place prize for the Lucas College of Business’ Silicon Valley Business Plan Competition each spring.

“Both [the investment fund and business plan competition] combine ‘school learning’ with ‘practical know-how.’ Students master a body of knowledge, and they also work with a team of others to implement it. In both, they are in a learning environment where the stakes are relatively low but where the lessons learned can change their lives.”

Fimbel attributes her interest in philanthropy to her grandfather, who bought saving bonds in her name when she was born and gifted them to her when she got married. This gave her family a boost as they were just starting out, and she vowed to pay her good fortune forward.

“I spent the majority of my career at SJSU. The university enables young people from all kinds of backgrounds to thrive. They learn to dream bigger dreams for themselves — and they learn how to make those dreams come true. When they graduate, they and their families know they can contribute to society meaningfully. I’m glad to continue to be part of that process of transformation even if I’m no longer teaching.”

“I learned to always give, and even small giving with a big heart matters.”

Vivek Agarwal, Lecturer and Executive Coach

When Agarwal came to the United States in 1986 to pursue higher education, he hardly had any money.

“One company in India bought me an airplane ticket as charity and supported my passion to achieve higher potential,” he recalled.

It was a small token that made a huge impact on his life.

“There are so many students who have their dreams compromised because of lack of support and [money],” Agarwal shared. “My father was an engineer and always supported (and sometimes sacrificed) to get others ahead in life. He inspired me to love other human beings. I learned to always give, and even small giving with a big heart matters.”

Agarwal is currently in collaboration with COB and SJSU’s Tower Foundation to establish an endowed scholarship to support bright business students.

“As an alumni of SJSU and now faculty, how could I not pay back my alma mater?”

Richard Sessions, Lecturer, Career Businessman and Entrepreneur

Sessions’ story is different. Throughout his life, he has struggled with dyslexia, a learning disability that makes it difficult to read and process speech. It’s an otherwise invisible problem that affects many students. His late daughter also struggled with dyslexia.

His experience learning and teaching with dyslexia informs how he approaches his lessons in the classroom, and he can often identify students who have similar difficulties within just a few classes. That’s why he established a scholarship for students with disabilities through the SJSU Accessible Education Center.

“Somebody with a disability has to work doubly hard, triply hard on their education,” said Sessions. “And often they can’t work, make ends meet and pursue a college education at the same time. If I can relieve some of that burden or anxiety, if I save one student, then I've succeeded.”

John Baird, Professor Emeritus and Principal Partner and Chairman of the Velocity Group

Susan Baird, Educator

Baird and his wife Susan of 55 years, who built her career in counseling education, are united in their support of San José State students. After he retired from teaching, John Baird stayed connected to the university by serving on the Tower Foundation Board.

“I think we have a responsibility to give back in some way, once we leave a university or had a part in it,” said Baird. “Susan and I have chosen to do that in a number of different ways. It starts with the students, and [SJSU] students are a very diverse group of individuals who represent Silicon Valley more than any other institution here, which I value a lot.”

“San José State is a place where I feel we can make a real difference, so if we can help with a scholarship, give our time or mentor in some way, I feel like it's an opportunity to make a difference that we just don't want to miss.”

When Baird was a young boy, his father helped a man and his family get back on track after the man had lost his job. Baird’s father recommended that the family seek shelter at a local YMCA where he volunteered. Eventually, the organization helped to lift the family out of a dire situation. That memory left a deep impression on Baird, who to this day volunteers with his local YMCA in San José and serves on their national board of directors.

Susan and John Baird established a scholarship for business students and have supported the university in a variety of other ways. The most rewarding part for him is meeting the scholarship recipients and being able to continue connecting with them beyond their graduation.

“Sometimes you have an opportunity to actually help them with jobs,” said Baird. “Because [his company] is working with a lot of high tech companies that are hiring, we've actually had opportunities to network and to help them navigate that territory.”

Gary Radine, Lecturer and Former CEO

After 37 years in chief executive officer roles, Radine is sharing his business insights with SJSU students, coming full circle to where he earned his own bachelor’s degree in public relations.

His approach to philanthropy follows two avenues: The first is to help those in poverty with basic needs, such as putting food on the table and getting health care. The other is to help SJSU business students obtain their degrees.

Presently, he gives four scholarships per year to students with financial need who are also actively involved in the Hispanic community — as established with the COB. “This is in concert with my starting (and still working with) a company in Mexico over the last 15 years,” said Radine.

Radine did “manual labor with the Hispanic [community]” while he was an undergraduate. Now he is appreciative to be “back to where I started [at SJSU], honoring those with whom I started.”

“I feel lucky to have found SJSU as a foundation for doing what I can, while I can, to make things a bit better going forward.”

Timothy Hill, Professor

“For much of my life, I’ve been the beneficiary of the kindness and generosity of others in various forms — people I admire and aspire to be more like,” said Hill. “So when I find myself in a position to give, it just feels like the right thing to do. What I’ve been able to give so far means so much to others, and it seems like that's where the resources should go. I’m just helping [students] get to where they’re of greater benefit and more positive impact.”

As the long-time director of the School of Information Systems and Technology, Hill oversaw the Management Information Systems program at the Lucas College of Business. He also developed a set of Business Systems Innovation Labs that the college uses to provide hands-on, experiential learning to all business students. One of his favorite duties at the COB though, has been to help select and bestow scholarships, which has allowed him to get to know the students who benefitted from the gifts.

“In my teaching and administrative service to SJSU,” he recalled, “I’ve had the good fortune to see the transformational impact we’re known for firsthand, time and time again.”

One of these scholarship recipients had dropped out of high school but later earned her GED, so she could apply for college. By the time she and Hill crossed paths, she was a top achieving business student, and the scholarship provided enough support to help her graduate and start her career as an information systems professional at a prime Silicon Valley company.

“It was a modest amount, but it was just what was needed to keep her on track and help her realize her tremendous potential. Sometimes a small sum can make a huge difference, and I feel blessed to help provide that, when I can, for young people like her.”

Hill is modest about his gifts to the university, though he supports an annual scholarship for students like those he teaches to help them focus on their studies, graduate and establish a good career. But he hopes to do more when he can.

“I feel lucky to have found SJSU as a foundation for doing what I can, while I can, to make things a bit better going forward.”

*The current professor who wishes to remain anonymous funds an art scholarship to allow students to “explore and develop their creative abilities with less worry over finances.”

Want to learn more?

Learn more about giving to SJSU’s Lucas College of Business; contact Senior Director of Development Brad Vartan at brad.vartan@sjsu.edu