Michelle & Cliff Chen fund first renaming of ISB

Michelle Mostajo Chen, Master in Biotechnology ‘07,  began her relationship with San Jose State in 2005 as a member of the third cohort for the Master in Biotechnology (MBT) Program. After graduating, Michelle was invited to join the MBT Program Advisory Board. She possesses a unique perspective as a MBT Program participant and professional who also worked at Genentech, Sutro Biopharma, PACT Pharma, Bionova Scientific, and is currently at Cellares. As part of the MBT Program Advisory Board responsibilities, curriculum is assessed routinely for industry relevance and preparedness. Michelle partnered with a colleague, also an MBT Program Alumni, and identified a need to increase awareness of biotechnology manufacturing-related topics. A proposed seminar syllabus was approved by the College of Science, and they have been presenting multiple three-hour seminars annually as part of the MBT Program curricula for nearly 10 years! To honor her parents' deep belief that education could change outcomes, and their investment into their four children and the community, Michelle Mostajo Chen, MS Biotechnology ‘07,  and her husband Cliff Chen have established the “Nicanor E. and Norma L. Mostajo Perseverance Fund.” This fund will provide a single monetary award in the amount of $2,500 to the top-ranked student, based on GPA, in the MBT Program at the end of their first year. In recognition of this commitment, Room 420 in the Interdisciplinary Science Building has been named the “Nicanor E. and Norma L. Mostajo Bio Equipment Suite.” The naming not only honors her parents' commitment to education, but also Michelle's continued commitment to the MBT Program at SJSU.