Stories of Sun Devil Giving

W. P. Carey community raises funds for emergency scholarships

very year, the ASU community supports causes university-wide on Sun Devil Giving Day. This annual day is a significant source of scholarship funding for students who might not otherwise attend college or have the ability to continue their education when confronted with financial setbacks.

In 2022, many W. P. Carey community members gave to the school’s Kay A. Faris Emergency Scholarship Fund, which has provided emergency scholarships directly to W. P. Carey undergraduate students with immediate financial needs since 2015.

“This scholarship is unique because recipients don’t have to repay it. It’s also available every semester, not just during the traditional application season,” says Kay A. Faris, the fund’s namesake, who retired from the W. P. Carey School in 2021 after nearly 40 years of service. “Of the students awarded this scholarship, the majority are still enrolled or have graduated.”

We can’t thank our donors enough for their support and generosity. Sun Devil Giving Day 2022 was a huge success, with more than 260 donors collectively raising more than $30,000 for W. P. Carey. These gifts will have a major impact.

Here, a few W. P. Carey faculty and alumni share their giving perspectives and how they hope their time and treasure will impact future generations. Visit wpcarey.asu.edu/give to get involved. 

Doing good while doing well

“I don’t see a scenario where my business is doing well but I don’t give back to the community or take care of people within my company,” says alumnus Lorron James (BS Marketing ’05), CEO of James Group. “No matter how successful anyone is, there’s no such thing as someone who did everything on their own. No one is 100% self-made.” He believes that generosity isn’t just monetary. “The greatest gift I received from executives in Detroit and around the country was their time,” he says. “People’s time is their most precious asset because you can’t get more of it.”

A lifelong legacy and commitment

“My career and personal experience have informed my desire to engage with students who are the first in their families to attend college,” says W. P. Carey Alumni Council Member, annual supporter, and Maricopa County Public Defender-Deputy Director Lina Garcia (BS Management ’04, JD ’07).

Because her family faced barriers, Garcia’s parents had to work several jobs. “When we didn’t have insurance, our family doctor was there to provide care and advice,” she says. “Before I left for law school, he reminded me to always help others when it’s needed most.”

Those lessons informed Garcia’s lifelong approach to giving back. “It’s rewarding to meet students, connect them with resources, and ultimately help them find success.”

Giving back to pay it forward

“I was a first-generation college student and a recipient of a scholarship from my small town high school,” says Marcie LePine, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship.

“I was a student who needed safety nets, and I know the value of that and how important it is.”

The theme of reciprocity is central to LePine’s giving philosophy; those who have been fortunate enough to receive assistance also have the opportunity to give back to the communities that met their needs.

“It isn’t just about my impact. It’s more than just me. It’s everybody giving back when and how they can. We should all give back to pay it forward,” LePine says.

Contributions of time and treasure

“ASU is where I got my start, and there’s a real connection made by giving back,” says Ryan Talamante (BS Economics ’90), a longtime supporter of ASU and the W. P. Carey School’s Department of Economics.

Talamante broadened his giving to include the school’s emergency scholarship fund in 2022.

“It seemed like a good way to immediately get money into the hands of students,” he says. “Every little bit matters to students who are trying to live on their own and be their own person.”

He emphasizes the importance of contributing time to ASU, too. “Volunteering gives people the sense that what they are doing is worthwhile,” he says. “When the broader ASU community is willing to contribute their time, that creates something worthwhile.”