News
Co-Founder of SJSU Portuguese Studies Program Endows Department with $500,000 Gift
November 21, 2023
When asked why San José State University’s Portuguese Studies Department is important to him, retired dentist Manuel Bettencourt, ’75 Biological Sciences, recalls his formative years on Santa Cruz Graciosa, Azores, an island off the coast of Portugal. The eldest of 13 children, Bettencourt got his first job at age 12 — four years before acquiring his first pair of shoes.
Ricardo Cortez and the ABCs of Lowrider Culture
November 20, 2023
Picture this: San José, 1977, the intersection of Story and King Streets are thrumming to the beat of old school funk and disco as a steady stream of decked-out lowrider cars stream through the boulevards. So often the cars, customized classic two-doors with bright paint and bouncy hydraulics, tell the stories of their drivers, says artist, author and 2022 San José Creative Ambassador Ricardo Cortez, ’15 MFA Digital Art.
Alumnus Shariq Shah Receives $100,000 to Fund AI Tutor Start-up
August 22, 2023
Shariq Shah, ’19 Computer Science, doesn’t waste time. His third start-up, Tutorly.ai, has only been operational since February, and he has already been selected to receive $100,000 from gener8tor, a Milwaukee-based start-up accelerator program.
Summer of Service: Alumni from San José State University Make a Significant Impact at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
August 17, 2023
As the academic summer comes to a close, San José State alumni can take pride in the tremendous impact they have made through their heartfelt and dedicated volunteer initiative, the “Summer of Service.” Over the course of two months, alumni joined forces to lend some helping hands to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, boxing produce for families in need and making a real difference in their communities.
Alumna Adrienne Keel Shares Moments of Pride
June 1, 2023
On June 28, 1970, New York City hosted the first Pride March a year to the day after the Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between LGBTQ+ protesters and the police that transpired over six days, culminating in a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar. The uprising is widely credited as kickstarting an organized national movement for LGBTQIA+ rights, which now includes celebrations, parades, performances and demonstrations held every June.
Faculty and Alumni Join Nobel Prize Winner on Groundbreaking Research Publication
January 25, 2023
It’s not everyday that undergraduates contribute pioneering research in Science Magazine — and even more rare to produce work alongside Nobel Prize recipients. Earlier this month, work by four San José State University alumni scientists was included in a groundbreaking article co-authored by San José State Professor of Biological Sciences Katherine Wilkinson and Ardem Patapoutian, neuroscience professor at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.
105-Year-Old SJSU Alumna Shares Secrets to Longevity
August 15, 2022
This week, retired teacher and longtime businesswoman Betty Ann Chandler, ’39 Education Credential, will celebrate her 105th birthday. She’ll mark the occasion on the first day of San José State University’s fall semester, making her one of the oldest known living Spartans. The lifelong San Josean plans to celebrate with a drive-by birthday party surrounded by family and friends.
Alumna Na Omi Judy Shintani’s Art Memorializes WWII Incarceration Camp Survivors
June 28, 2022
Artwork by Na Omi Judy Shintani, ’80 Graphic Design, as well as fellow third-generation (sansei) artists Shari Arai DeBoer, Ellen Bepp, Reiko Fujii, Kathy Fujii-Oka, will be on display July 24 through Sept. 3 at the AZ Gallery in the Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno. “Sansei Granddaughters’ Journey: From Remembrance to Resistance” is an interactive exhibit that honors the memories of their grandparents, who are Japanese American survivors of the incarceration camps created following Executive Order 9066 during WWII.
