Saga Of The Solo Spartan
Second in a series featuring true heroes of the Annual Scholarship Fund Drive.
In last week’s story, we featured two dynamic women leading an entire team of fundraisers. Today we’ll share the story of one dynamic man working solo. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
He received his BA in Administration of Justice in 1956 from <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>San JosState and returned to campus 18 years later to earn a Masters degree in the same discipline. After a long, distinguished career in the field, including service as Chief Probation Officer for Santa Clara County, Pete Silva retired.
Hold on...stop the story. That last bit makes absolutely no sense. It is categorically impossible to use the words “Pete Silva” and “retired” in the same sentence. Retired? We’re talking about a gentleman who volunteers every week delivering “Meals on Wheels”. The same guy was capital campaign chair for the Theta Chi fraternity house remodel. He’s served as president of the San Jose State Alumni Association as well as the Spartan Foundation. He comprehensively follows 10 grand kids’ careers in sports, plays, and Scouting activities. Pete Silva does all this...and still finds the time and energy to be the Spartan Foundation Annual Scholarship Fund Drive’s top fundraiser for more years than most of our student-athletes have been alive. Last year alone, Pete’s efforts accounted for more than 10 percent of the $1.3 million raised in the Annual Scholarship Fund Drive!
It’s not hard to understand how Pete succeeds. He wears his passion for Spartan Athletics on his sleeve (...and he has lots of sleeves because his fundraising success has won him a closet-full of cool Spartan apparel at Fund Drive meetings). His deep appreciation for the vital role intercollegiate athletics plays at San Jose State runs through every conversation you have with Pete. He speaks the language of our Culture of Champions; Pete Silva is a true hero of the Annual Scholarship Fund Drive.
Join Pete on the Team Behind the Teams; become a member of the Spartan Foundation today by calling our office (408-924-1218), or go online to www.sjsuspartans.com/giving.