Success is More than a Degree
It’s ensuring students have the space to be their most authentic selves. It’s giving access to the unique resources that will help them soar. It’s supporting the whole Bentley experience — books and beyond. Generous donors have helped build the Bentley story, moment by moment. And they continue to shape its future.
A Formula For Entrepreneurship
For Stephen ’08 and Samantha Somers, giving back to Bentley is an investment. Steve thinks of their $1 million donation to Bentley’s Entrepreneurship Hub (E-Hub) as the beginning of a self-sustaining ecosystem: giving students the support they need to build successful businesses will create alumni running successful companies, who will then be able to give even more philanthropic support to Bentley. It’s a tradition and a culture he’s committed to helping create.
Somers is impressed with Sandeep Purao, director of the E-Hub, and with the developments that have been made in the entrepreneurship realm at Bentley. Activities include coaching sessions with alumni mentors, an Entrepreneurial Studies minor, internships, and a physical space: the Somers Garage, named in recognition of the $1 million donation.
His investment will make future possibilities viable, including a pitch competition, seed funding, expanding the physical footprint and more.
After graduating from Bentley, Somers worked at Goldman Sachs for a year and then a tech startup before putting his own entrepreneurial talents to work at the chemical company owned by his father. “When you work at a small company, you can come up with an idea and execute it right then. Whether it’s an IT idea, new customer or new way of doing business, you can quickly pivot and change strategies, and that really worked well for us over the years to help build the company.”
It worked so well, in fact, that in 2021 the family sold their company, with Somers and his father staying on as employees.
With this investment, Somers is now a Great Benefactor, Bentley’s highest distinction that honors its most generous and dedicated supporters.
“I’m thrilled with Steve’s affirmation of and investment in Bentley’s E-Hub,” says President Brent Chrite.
Pride Professionals
In the fall of 2022, the Center for Women and Business and the Office of Gender and Sexuality Student Programs partnered to pilot a leadership initiative unlike any other: The Rainbow Scholars program is a yearlong resource for undergraduate LGBTQ+ and ally students to grow personally and professionally. Over the academic year, 14 scholars each received a $1,000 stipend, presented campus advocacy proposals at a full-day conference and joined lunch-and-learn events with alumni. Success has been driven by donor Paul Grover ’81, who has invested $37,500 over the next five years to support the program. “When I met with the inaugural cohort of students, I was so impressed with their empathy and authenticity — traits that are key to inclusive and effective leadership — that I knew I wanted to support this program,” Grover says.“Throughout the year, my interaction with these leaders of tomorrow not only confirmed t o me the importance of the program but inspired me in my own leadership roles.”
Planting Roots For Women In Stem
Litsa (Makri) Pappas ’93, P ’25 immigrated to the United States with her sister, Anna, after finishing high school in Athens, Greece. As a young and ambitious woman in a new country, her goal was to attend college to prepare her for a career in finance. She chose Bentley because the university offered both financial opportunities and a campus environment where she felt she could succeed.
A product of the times 30 years ago, Litsa was often one of a few women in her classes. She leveraged Bentley’s network to create a more inclusive culture and worked with others to create safe spaces for women to feel they belonged. “As individuals, we need to realize the power that each one of us holds to effect change,” says Litsa. “Equity is not a zero-sum game; we all benefit.”
After leaving Bentley with a degree in Finance, Litsa built a successful career working for Barclays and Commercial Bank of Greece. She credits the formal and informal mentorships and support from her professors at Bentley for shaping her to be an inclusive and authentic business leader. She has lived in three different countries with her husband Bill ’94, MBA ’95, a university trustee, and their four daughters, one of whom is a junior at Bentley.
In the spirit of closing the representation gap, Litsa and Bill have created the Litsa Makri Pappas ’93 Endowed Scholarship Fund, a $250,000 investment in women at Bentley. Litsa says it was important to her and Bill to pay it forward after Bentley gave them so much. “When you have a connection to a place that played such a critical part in your development as a young person, I believe it’s important to maintain those relationships and give back to the institution in any way that you can — especially to help shape the future.”
What’s In A Number?
Shane Kinahan ’94 made a commitment totaling $175,000 over five years, or $35,000 each year, for Bentley’s Division I ice hockey team. The number 35 isn’t just any number to Kinahan — it’s the jersey number that he wore while playing goalie for the Falcons from 1991 to 1994. “Remaining a part of the Bentley hockey story is important to me, and it’s an exciting time for the program,” says the co-founder and managing partner of Lake Avenue Capital. “I want to help this program succeed as a national leader, on and off the ice.” Kinahan’s continued support of the ice hockey program allows the team to recruit the very best student-athletes, expand team travel, and invest in equipment and gear, while also enhancing health and wellness programming.