It all started with a stack of papers piled high on a desk in Colotlán, Mexico. Young Anibal Mares Márquez (BBA20) looked at his accountant mother Carmen’s tower of work and was impressed.

When John Hall (66MBA) launched Goose Island Brewing Company in 1988, he chose to support a local nonprofit, Erie Neighborhood House, during the brewery’s opening-day party. John ended up serving on their board for 30 years, and during those three decades of service, he developed a passion for supporting education—especially for first-generation college students.

Tippie Gateway started in 2015 to recruit populations underrepresented in business – women as well as first-generation, LGBTQ+, and students of color. It’s important to reach out to these students early – so that they take the necessary math requirements needed for college and/or business school. Many Tippie Gateway participants are entering their senior year of high school and still have time to...