Marlah Bonner McDuffie
07.29.17
Helen Min ’05 ADV, ’06 MS, has made a gift to the College of Media Underrepresented Scholarship Fund. Assisting underrepresented populations with educational attainment resonates with Helen for several reasons.
As a member of the Silicon Valley tech community, Helen was struck by the recent spotlight on the lack of diversity in the industry. “We need to be having this conversation,” she stated. To institute change and to see diversity grow, Helen believes you have to invest in education.
Her own father’s story makes this issue personal. He was one of the first Asian-Americans to graduate from Wisconsin. Being an immigrant student was challenging, and along with what was happening in civil rights in this country at the time, he saw many others struggle as well. There are populations going through the same struggles today. Helen added, “While the definition of minority can change over time, my hope is that once someone crosses the line to success, they don’t forget how they got there.”
In October 2013, Helen served as the featured speaker for the Sandage Department of Advertising’s fall event and was “blown away by how the program has evolved.” She was pleased to see that the program still offers a great mix of theory and practical application, but it is also taking into account the vast changes in technology. “The program is preparing students to be successful in a competitive economic environment,” she added.
Helen’s gift, along with those of fellow alumni, will allow the College to recruit and retain top students and it will assist with increasing diversity among its student population, a key component of the College’s and the University’s new strategic plan.
Nancy Gravatt ’75 JOURN, who made the inaugural gift to the fund stated, “My hope is that more alums of the College of Media will be moved to donate to make this first-ever scholarship for underrepresented students. Helen Min is one of those alums, whose generous donation helped us get almost halfway to the $25,000 goal, which will qualify the fund as endowed, meaning it can continue into perpetuity. Her gift provides tremendous momentum toward our goal. I believe it’s possible for one person to make a difference in the lives of others, and Helen Min is doing that with her gift.”