Beyond Sparta Starts with Smith Family Donation

Mike Smith, a life-long sports fan, and Lonna Smith, a career educator and former San Jose State University professor, were looking for the perfect fit. 
 
Season ticket holders since 1987, the couple was already part of the Spartan Athletics Fund, but were looking at a more substantial donation. Something that fit with both their love of Spartan athletics and their mission of improving lives through education.
 
When they learned of a plan called Beyond Sparta, the decision was obvious. 
 
After the success of the Beyond Football program, athletics director Marie Tuite made it a priority to expand the program to all sports as part of a department-wide initiative called Spartan Balance.   
 
Started by Brent Brennan when he took over the football program in December 2016, Beyond Football's mission is to encourage SJSU football players to explore the campus, the city of San Jose and the Bay Area to discover what these communities have to offer and what they can offer back. With Tobruk Blaine running Beyond Football for the last three years, SJSU football players have been able to get involved with numerous campus organizations, volunteer their time with charity groups and schools in San Jose and get training and advice from professionals across the Silicon Valley.  
 
"The Smiths were really excited to hear about our bridge between athletics and campus, namely the support and encouragement we give our student-athletes to become more active on campus," Blaine said. "Every student at SJSU has access to the same great resources and opportunities, but with the time demands of playing a sport, student-athletes need some help and flexibility to take advantage of them. Beyond Football was our pilot program, to get things started. Beyond Sparta is now the next step."
 
With the help of a founding gift from the Smith family, all 467 student-athletes at SJSU will be able to benefit.


 
"Lonna and Mike Smith have been incredible supporters of the Spartans for many years," said Tuite. "The Beyond Sparta program is aligned with their own vision regarding the importance of education and preparing our athletes for life after graduation. Our Beyond Sparta program is one of the many initiatives under the umbrella of Spartan Balance, and we are so grateful for the Smiths' founding gift. Their generosity will enable us to continue changing the lives of the student-athletes we serve. A sincere thank you."
 
Mike and Lonna met while attending college at Carnegie Mellon University, in Lonna's hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. Mike's engineering career at GE eventually brought him to San Jose, and Lonna, a music teacher before relocating to the West Coast with her husband, needed to take a few classes to get her teaching credential in California. She registered at SJSU in 1980 and never left. Her modest goal of obtaining an elementary teaching credential turned into a master's in education and a career as an SJSU professor.  
 
"One semester I had five basketball players in class," Lonna explained. "At some points in games, it would be mostly my students on the court."
 
One of those students was Rich Taylor. During the 1996 Big West Tournament championship game, Mike and Lonna were following along on the radio. With the game on the line in overtime, Taylor hit a three-pointer with five seconds left to give the Spartans a 76-75 win over Utah State.
 
"Here was this big post player, one of Lonna's students, knocking down a game-winning three," Mike said. "It was incredible. We were so excited."
 
The victory gave the Spartans a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1980.
 
"I remember walking through campus during the NCAA Tournament, and you could hear the game on people's TVs and radios from almost every window," Lonna added.
 
Lonna taught student-athletes from numerous sports during her time at SJSU and always promised them she'd go to one of their games. Mike had no problem helping her keep that promise, as they became regulars at many SJSU sporting events. The relationships they formed with coaches and players gave them a unique perspective.
 
"A lot of athletes are so focused on their sports, they don't have a lot of time to prepare for a career after graduation," Mike Smith said. "The vast majority of athletes aren't able to go pro after college, and when that sport is gone they need some help and direction."
 
Beyond Sparta is designed to provide that help and direction.
 
"It's right up my alley; my whole career was helping students succeed," Lonna said. "This is exactly what Beyond Sparta does."