BEYOND FOOTBALL // SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT
An opportunity to highlight program supporters who have made it a priority to educate, support and mentor our football student athletes in their journey to discovering their off-the-field strengths for success.
MICHELE AND DAVID NEIGHBORS
Michele and David Neighbors are proud native East San Joseans. David is a Spartan alum; Michele raised two Spartans and is the most passionate Spartan fan around! As a first-generation college student, David recognizes the benefits of earning a degree from San José State University. Both Michele & David are actively involved in the career development components of Beyond Football, specifically Agoge Academy, supporting our mentoring labs and our yearly Dinner with a Spartan networking event.
"Our student-athletes' extraordinary abilities have opened a door to a higher education. Beyond Football enables our student-athletes to leverage that education into keeping those doors opened as they venture out to make the world a better place – as Spartans, it's in our DNA!"
KEVIN AND SANDY SWANSON
Kevin and Sandy Swanson are lifelong supporters of all things San Jose State. Kevin, a 1987 graduate in finance and Sandy, a Cal State East Bay graduate who calls San Jose State her adopted alma mater, are very active, not only with SJSU, but in the San Jose community. Kevin is the founder of a financial firm, Integrated Wealth Management, located in downtown Willow Glen, and Sandy sits on the firm's board of directors. One thing you are guaranteed to see when you walk into their office is Spartan regalia, representing their pride in SJSU.
In 2018 Kevin and Sandy joined a small cohort of other Silicon Valley professionals supporting the newly established Beyond Football program. The support of the Swansons ranges from student-athlete mentorship to consistently supporting yearly student-athlete networking events. Sandy finds that "the football team and the Beyond Football program is really making a difference in these young men's lives. That foresight on the part of the athletics department is inspirational for us, and we'd love to see those types of things continue."
On behalf of the Beyond Football program, thank you Kevin and Sandy, for supporting this program from day one and being a strong consistent presence in the lives of our young men.
FRANCISCO IRAO
Francisco Irao, raised in Watsonville, CA, is a San Jose State Alum who has worked for 17.5 years at the iconic Silicon Valley company, Google. Irao, residing in Los Gatos, CA with his wife Tiffany and 19 year old son, Francisco, is the Head of Sales for Google Maps.
Since the inception of Beyond Football in 2017, Francisco has been a supporter and advocate for our student-athletes; hosting players at the Google Headquarters and providing insight into working in Tech. The opportunity over the past three years to learn from his experiences have been very valuable to our student-athletes. The knowledge and advice he and his colleagues share provides our players with great insight into the path to success not only in the Silicon Valley, but in any industry.
"Beyond Football is an amazing program that exposes SJSU student-athletes to multiple unique opportunities as they prepare for life off the field," Francisco said.
Thank you, Francisco for your on-going support! Go Spartans!
MIKE SERRANO
Mike Serrano is a proud second generation Spartan. His parents meet at San Jose State. Growing up in Bakersfield, his family would regularly travel to the Bay Area to attend the San Jose State vs. Stanford football game. Mike stepped on campus as a freshman in 1982 and immediately fell in love with the campus and the Bay Area. During his time on campus as an undergraduate, Mike served on the University Planning committee and was a founding member of the Information Resource Management Club in the School of Business. Mike lives in Pleasanton with his wife Angela who is also a Spartan. They have two children.
"I've been fortunate to be a part of the Beyond Football program for the past 3 years," Mike said. "The young men that I've had a chance to meet have been a truly amazing group. I've been able to share with them my experiences working in high-tech in the Silicon Valley. There are a lot of parallels between the motivation and perseverance that these young men have demonstrated in getting to play Div. 1 football at SJSU and what's required to be successful in the valley, be it with a start-up or a Fortune 100 company."
RENÉ SIEGEL
Today we are highlighting San Jose State alum, mother of three, and resident of Livermore, Calif, René Siegel. René is the founder and CEO of Connext, a marketing and communications consulting agency. As a proud alumna, and now an adjunct professor teaching Case Studies in Public Relations at San Jose State, René is a huge supporter of all things Spartan, from academics to athletics.
"For the past three years, my Connext team has shared career advice with the Beyond Football student-athletes, including first impressions, resumes, LinkedIn, and interviewing. We've been so impressed with their character and drive to be successful not just in football, but also in life. Through Beyond Football many of these men have overcome great challenges to become stellar students, engaged citizens, and true gentlemen. It's our honor to work with director Tobruk Blaine and to support her amazing program!" - René Siegel
DARCI SMITH
Darci Smith, a Bakersfield, Calif., native who playerd Div. I soccer at South Carolina State is a job placement coach with Athletes to Careers. Her position focuses on mentoring student-athletes and assisting with their transition from college graduation to landing a full-time job.
Darci has supported the Beyond Football program by actively engaging in our career development academy providing workshops on interview prep and providing mentorship to our athletes as they prepare for their life off-the-field. Her experience as a former Div. I athlete, paired with her knowledge of the professional industry and the characteristics companies are seeking when filling positions, has allowed her to connect with our players on multiple levels.
"Working with Beyond Football is very rewarding. The student-athletes show a passion to better themselves and those around them. The impact that Beyond Football has on the local community is so inspiring and brings joy to so many kids in San Jose. I love that Beyond Football pushes the boundaries for student-athletes and gives each student the tools to be successful as they move on from football." - Darci Smith