David Klein ’85 is assisting high-achieving students from communities often under represented in higher education.
By Keith Walters ’11
Nearly a decade ago, after years of notable success as an executive but distanced from his alma mater, David Klein ’85 was drawn back into Geneseo’s orbit. A fraternity brother who served on the Geneseo Foundation Board invited him back to campus for a visit and a drink.
“I hadn’t been in touch with anyone from Geneseo for a while,” Klein says. “I just went back for a beer; it wasn’t supposed to be more than that.”
Ten years later, that casual meeting has evolved into a position on the Foundation Board and philanthropic generosity toward Geneseo and its students.
Klein was appointed to the Foundation Board in 2018, during which time he served as CFO of Constellation Brands, Inc. Recognizing the unique qualities inherent in Geneseo graduates—which he describes as “scrappy, driven, and humble”—Klein created an internship program at Constellation Brands for students in the School of Business. His insights into the professional potential of Geneseo alums compelled him to provide students with practical opportunities to apply their skills in a real-world business environment.
“Geneseo graduates are as smart as anyone I know,” says Klein. “There’s something special about what the school produces.”
This year, Klein established the David Klein ’85 Scholarship Fund. The scholarship covers full tuition for four years for five students in the Multicultural Fellows Program, which provides financial resources and mentorship to help level the playing field for students from disenfranchised backgrounds. Specifically, the program seeks to support high-achieving students from underrepresented communities in higher education.
Mabel Delgado ’28, a first-generation college student from the Bronx, is one of the inaugural recipients of Klein’s scholarship.
“This scholarship means everything to me and my family,” says Delgado. “It’s a weight off my mom’s shoulders. She’s always worked so hard to give me opportunities she didn’t have, and now I can show her that all her sacrifices were worth it.”
Delgado recalls the moment she found out she received the scholarship. “When I saw the email, I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “I told my mom, and she started crying. She said she was so proud of me and that we’d been working for this my whole life.”
Delgado plans to major in biology and become a physical therapist. Her passion for health care began early, when her mother encountered difficulties navigating the medical system after experiencing a stroke.
“My mom struggled because of a language barrier,” recalls Delgado, who is bilingual. “I remember translating for her at the hospital and thinking, ‘I want to help people like my mom navigate the healthcare system so they don’t get taken advantage of.’”
While Geneseo is known for producing high-caliber graduates, Klein—now CEO of Canopy Growth Corporation—knows that enrolling in college, let alone graduating, is not an equal opportunity for all students.
“What I like about the Multicultural Fellows Program is that it’s not just providing students with financial support,” says Klein. “It’s actively helping them transition to college because students who don’t have a support network or family who have previously attended college don’t necessarily have that guidance.”
Klein is among several alumni who have provided gifts to help students make college a reality. In 2018, Greg O’Connell ’64 established the Greg ’64 and Elizabeth O’Connell Family Endowment in support of underrepresented and underserved students.
More recently, Frank ’88 and Jeanne ’87 Simuro established the Frank and Jeanne Simuro Scholarship Fund, which provides annual scholarships for under-resourced students pursuing STEM majors.
“It’s important to give Geneseo the tools to compete for students who meet all the criteria of a Geneseo student but require financial assistance,” Klein says. “I choose to help current students afford and succeed at Geneseo right now because it’s my version of a pay-it-forward mentality. You can change people’s lives today and know they will do so for others when it’s their turn.”