Dedicated alumns David ’01, ’05 J.D. and Erin ’05 Thompson are passionate about being Broncos, the Santa Clara Fund, and wanting to be the change they want to see.
You know you are a die-hard Bronco if you name your daughter Clara! And that’s exactly what loyal alums David and Erin Thompson did—along with holding on to hope that all three of their children will attend Santa Clara University and continue their family legacy. David’s parents graduated in 1975, and his sister in 2005, the same year as his wife. David loved the University so much, he went on to law school and now practices law in Portland, Oregon. Both he and Erin have busy careers and lives, but they always make time to give back to their community and to their alma mater. They have been contributing to SCU for more than twenty years and the last twelve through the Santa Clara Fund to support the next generation of Broncos.
David credits his own experience as a recipient of the Santa Clara Fund for his belief in paying it forward. He says, “During my senior year in high school my mom became ill and had to stop working.” He adds, “Because of this, my parent’s financial situation changed quite a bit from when I had applied. However, the University worked with us under these circumstances, getting financial assistance, including from the Santa Clara Fund, so that I would be able to go to Santa Clara.” David feels blessed for having the gift of a Jesuit education and the opportunities that stemmed from it.
Among the SCU experiences that David embraced were the two immersion trips he went on to El Salvador, once in his senior year and the other as a law school student where he recalls, “It was really interesting to go to another country that has a very different perspective on the rule of law. It makes you realize just how much we take for granted in our country.” David also believes that the well-rounded education both he and Erin obtained here paved the way for their lifelong commitment to community service. David is the chair of Morrison Child & Family Services and Erin chairs the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Erin remarks, “As we raise our kids and as we live out our life, we want to be the change that we want to see.”
David and Erin are filled with gratitude and hope. As David recalls the lessons of one of his favorite professors, Fr. Privett, he concludes, “We were able to get this amazing education and then be able to go out into the world, bring the lessons we learned, and hopefully make it better.”
-Carrie Jensen