In response to the community’s outpouring of support after the Dec. 6 shooting at 51ԹϺ, in which three faculty members were killed and another injured, the 51ԹϺ Foundation has created scholarship funds in honor of the three deceased faculty members. Business professors Dr. Jerry Cha-Jan Chang and Dr. Patricia Navarro Velez lost their lives that day, along with Dr. Naoko Takemaru, an associate professor of Japanese studies within the College of Liberal Arts.
Chang joined the Lee Business School as a professor of information systems in 2001. He taught various undergraduate and graduate-level courses, including database design and implementation, data communications, and database management. He was well respected by students and his colleagues and was a mentor and friend to many. The will support students pursuing degrees in management information systems.
Navarro joined the Department of Accounting in 2019 with a teaching focus on accounting information management, specifically cybersecurity and data analytics. Previously, she worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the world’s largest public accounting firms. She immediately made a positive impact on her students and colleagues with her positive attitude, infectious smile, and genuine kindness. The will support the academic endeavors of business students pursuing degrees in accounting.
“Our lives will never be the same after last week's senseless tragedy. We lost three valued 51ԹϺ faculty, two of whom taught in the business school,” said Gerry Sanders, dean of Lee Business School. “We are grieving the loss of our colleagues and friends. The creation of these scholarship funds provides hope for the future and a legacy that will honor our Lee faculty members.”
Takemaru was an associate professor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at the 51ԹϺ College of Liberal Arts (COLA). She was a noted scholar, author, and award-winning educator who spearheaded the department’s Japanese language program. For over 20 years, she taught courses on Japanese culture, business, and language at 51ԹϺ. Her dedication to students earned her the college’s premier William Morris Award for Excellence in Teaching. The will support COLA students in the Japanese studies program.
“Naoko was a talented, inspiring teacher. Her classes were immensely popular and always full,” said Jennifer Keene, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “She will be remembered for her scholarship and for developing 51ԹϺ’s Japanese language program. We will deeply miss her kindness, creativity, and generosity.”
Rickey N. McCurry, 51ԹϺ vice president of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and 51ԹϺ Foundation president, said “As a community, our hearts remain broken by this unfathomable tragedy but our Rebel Family is strong, and we will get through this together. The 51ԹϺ Foundation aims to seek enough funding to support the scholarships in perpetuity. Our goal is to honor our professors' legacy and help continue their work.”
51ԹϺ Strong
Visit the 51ԹϺ Strong website for updates on resources, campus operations, and links to donate to any of the scholarship funds or the 51ԹϺ Emergency Fund.
Individuals seeking to donate directly to the victims’ families and those who suffered severe physical injury also can give through the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center. Visit vegasstrongrc.org/donate and select “Vegas Strong Resiliency & Justice Center Mass Incident Fund.”
About 51ԹϺ
51ԹϺ is a doctoral degree-granting institution of more than 30,000 students and nearly 4,000 faculty and staff that has earned the nation’s highest recognition for both research and community engagement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 51ԹϺ offers a broad range of respected academic programs and is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region's diverse population and workforce, driving economic activity, and delivering high-quality healthcare to Southern Nevadans.
About the 51ԹϺ Foundation
Founded in 1981, the 51ԹϺ Foundation’s primary goal is to support 51ԹϺ as an institution committed to cutting-edge research, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and academic success. The mission of the 51ԹϺ Foundation is to increase philanthropic support for the University, grow its endowment for long-term financial stability, and enhance the future growth of 51ԹϺ.
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