News Release
Passion drives True Tritons to service
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San Diego, Calif., Jan. 30, 2020 -- From creating scholarships and providing leadership, to student mentoring and preserving the arts, four shining examples of Triton passion and commitment will be honored Feb. 7 at UC San Diego’s True Triton Celebration to be held in the Great Hall on campus.
The True Triton alumni honorees—Janet “Jan” Fisher ’76 , Sheri Jamieson ’73, William “Bill” Proffer ’76, MS ’78 and Leo Spiegel ’83—will be celebrated alongside the next generation of inspiring leaders, as we recognize their role as UC San Diego volunteer champions. Proffer earned both bachelor and master’s degrees in applied mechanics and engineering science in what is now the Jacobs School’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
“Look no further than Jan, Sheri, Bill and Leo to see changemakers in action,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “They engage in and advocate for causes personal to them, mentor students and other alumni who need their learned expertise, and invest in their university because they recognize UC San Diego as a force for human progress. True Tritons know that individual ripples work together to become waves of change. Together, our power is strengthened and amplified to help solve real-world problems.”
The True Triton alumni honorees will be celebrated alongside the next generation of inspiring leaders, as we recognize their role as UC San Diego volunteer champions.
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Janet “Jan” Fisher ’76 is a passionate and dedicated volunteer at UC San Diego. She’s been an active participant with the L.A. alumni chapter and the Black Alumni Council for many years. As a strong supporter of higher education, she has funded the William C. and Anita Fisher Scholarship to benefit black students, and considers volunteering at UC San Diego an important facet of her life.
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Sheri Jamieson ’73 is a devoted volunteer, fundraiser and philanthropist at UC San Diego. She was one of the early members of the UC San Diego Cancer Center Board and later became one of its founding donors. In addition, she founded and served as president of the University Art Gallery Board, created the Dean’s Advisory Council of Arts and Humanities and chaired the opening of the Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center.
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William “Bill” Proffer ’76, MS ’78 is a volunteer champion who has devoted countless hours mentoring engineering students at Jacobs School of Engineering, and shares his scientific and technical expertise with student entrepreneurs at The Basement. He serves as a judge and hosts poster workshops at the Jacobs School of Engineering Research Expo and has participated as an executive member on the UC San Diego Alumni Board of Directors. He is the chief systems engineer at Leidos.
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Leo Spiegel ’83 is a longtime contributor at UC San Diego. He serves as a Trustee of the UC San Diego Foundation where he is the chair of the Trustee Recruitment and Engagement Committee and is a member of the International Leadership Committee, Campaign for UC San Diego. He is also a member of the Dean's Advisory Council at the Rady School of Management.
The awards will be presented during the Triton Leaders Conference + Celebration, Feb. 7-8, a two-day campus experience featuring dynamic sessions and motivating speakers. Attendees will learn how to elevate their passions to action, with sessions on innovation, leadership, diversity and inclusion, volunteerism and more. New this year, is the Triton Women Who Lead Forum, a special luncheon featuring a panel of inspiring women who lead on campus, in their communities and beyond. For more information or to register, visit the Triton Leaders event page.
This story originally ran in ThisWeek@UCSanDiego
Media Contacts
Katherine Connor
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-8374
khconnor@ucsd.edu