For more than half a century, Donald Shalvey worked fervently to create educational opportunities for all students. He served as founder and CEO of Aspire Public Schools and as superintendent of San Carlos School District, where he sponsored the second charter school in the nation and the first in California, changed policy, and created the charter school management organization model. He was deputy director for K-12 education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and most recently, became CEO of San Joaquin A+, which works to improve classroom performance by all students and provides career connected learning. Shalvey served for nearly a decade on University of the Pacific’s Board of Regents and was recognized by Pacific with an honorary doctoral degree in 2010.
A generous memorial gift from Shalvey’s wife, Sue Shalvey ’82, ’83, will create the Don Shalvey Leading, Learning and Legacy Fund. Inspired by Don’s spirit of innovation and passion for learning, this interdisciplinary endowment will support faculty and student endeavors that advance Pacific’s mission of preparing individuals for lasting achievement and responsible leadership in their careers and communities:
Research and New Initiatives: Empowers faculty as researchers, leaders and innovators in their fields, while providing first-hand opportunities for students to develop as scientists, scholars, creators and communicators.
Community Engagement: Funds programs and initiatives that apply classroom learning to real-world scenarios and connect students and faculty with their local communities, allowing them to provide tangible support for others in need and create data-driven innovations to meet societal challenges.
International and Continuous Learning: Supports continuous learning, study abroad, conference participation, and other opportunities to engage with Pacific’s global community. Invites students and faculty to participate in critical discourse and contribute to a deeper understanding of shared cultural, economic, environmental and social concerns impacting their lives.
The endowment will fund the above activities in perpetuity, ensuring that Don’s legacy and philosophy of becoming “better together” continue for future generations. The fund will support activities university wide and will be administered by the University Provost. Gifts will be doubled through Pacific’s Powell Match program.
To learn more, contact Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, vice president for development and alumni relations, at 209.946.2166 or sbiedermann@pacific.edu.
