Terry Sechrist: A Local Commitment with Lasting Impact

It’s hard to overstate the importance that Terry Sechrist places on education. Such is her conviction that the former contracts negotiator has given generously to SFSU through an estate gift as well annual contributions that support the University’s Educational Opportunity & Pathway Programs (EOPP) which include its Guardian Scholars Program (GSP).

A graduate of UC Davis and the University of Colorado who has lived in San Francisco for 45 years, Terry did not attend SFSU. She has, however, seen firsthand how transformative higher education can be — particularly for first-generation and low-income students.

“I'm proud to support my local state university and first-generation college students,” Terry says. “I believe that higher education is transformative for students and the community at large. San Francisco State University is doing a great job in preparing students for future careers and job opportunities with relevant curriculum, certification programs, internship opportunities and dedicated professors and staff.”

It's no surprise that Terry sought out programs such as EOPP and GSP that support students who were formerly in foster care or come from low-income families. Many of these students are first-generation and benefit from comprehensive and holistic services that provide admissions, academic, financial, and mental health support as well as on-going academic counseling, tutoring, peer mentoring, developmental workshops, and a state grant designed to increase retention and graduation rates.

Guardian Scholars appealed to Terry because its programming extends beyond traditional academic support. “I was happy to learn about the year-round housing that made it possible for students to stay on during the summer,” she says. “And the internship opportunities are so critical today compared to my generation as far as getting your foot in the door or being competitive.”

For Terry, making annual contributions in addition to her bequest reflects wanting to make a difference now as well as down the road.

“I like to stay involved and connected,” she says. “Even though some of my support will come after I pass, I wanted to do something now. I just like the relevancy that everybody can do something.”

Supporting education has long been central to her philanthropy. For 16 years, she sponsored six children at orphanages in Mexico and Haiti, visiting annually and helping them pursue schooling as a path out of poverty.

As she sought out local organizations to support, she consulted with a professional colleague, Amy Chan. “As I got closer to retirement, I was talking to Amy and saying I wanted to get involved with something local that was of a similar nature, but where the students were a little older and needed support for higher education,” Terry says.

Chan, a member of the San Francisco State Foundation board, suggested the Guardian Scholars which ultimately led Terry to support EOPP, which supports all first-generation SFSU students and is the umbrella under which GSP falls.

“I was very happy to be part of Guardian Scholars and then get involved with first-generation students,” Terry says. “My father was a first-generation college student, so it kind of pulls at your heartstrings. Because I'm a San Francisco resident, I'm really proud to support my local university. My mother got a teaching credential at Sacramento State. I'm a big believer in the broadest access to higher education.”

Not only is Terry a believer, through her generosity she is an enthusiastic supporter of current and future students on their journeys to becoming successful SFSU graduates.