For 30 years, former associate director of financial systems Doris Shimabukuro helped ensure Caltech remained an engine of discovery and innovation. While researchers may not have known her name, they relied on her expertise. Every academic division, department, and office that balanced a budget, processed a donation, or recorded a grant worked with Shimabukuro and her financial systems team in Information Management Systems and Services. It is a role that Shimabukuro loved until she retired in 2023.

To help a new generation pursue their own breakthroughs and inventions Shimabukuro, who recently joined the board of the Caltech Associates, has endowed a scholarship for undergraduate students. "I had the opportunity to live out a fulfilling career and meet interesting people at a very magical place,” Shimabukuro says. "Now, it’s my turn to help Caltech flourish and continue to advance human knowledge."

The scholarship gives a preference for students active in Caltech’s music program, which is a passion for Shimabukuro. As a child, Shimabukuro played piano and as a retiree she is formally studying music. She serves on the board of the Pacific Opera Project (POP), and regularly attends opera productions in the US and abroad. She named the scholarship after her friend and fellow music aficionado Rob Manning (BS ’82), who is chief engineer emeritus at JPL, which Caltech manages for NASA. Manning plays trumpet and used to perform with the Caltech Jazz Band.

Shimabukuro’s long-standing generosity is part of a larger effort to meet students’ holistic needs, including financial support. The Initiative for Caltech Students aims to raise $250 million to enhance the student experience, including $100 million for undergraduate scholarships. By sharing her reasons for giving, Shimabukuro also hopes Caltech faculty and staff will be inspired to support the Institute.

"Caltech has been much more than an employer to me," says Shimabukuro. "It is a community that embraces the discovery and sharing of knowledge to benefit society. By supporting scholarships, we can ensure more students have access to an exceptional education as well as a remarkable community."

Bringing the Caltech and JPL Communities Together

Doris Shimabukuro, Trustee Charles R. Trimble, scholarship recipient Hannah Chen, and Rob Manning

Shimabukuro was more than a decade into her career at Caltech when Tom Schmitt, former associate vice president for human resources, suggested Shimabukuro join the Caltech Management Association (CMA), a group that brings the Caltech and JPL communities together through events and programs. Her involvement in CMA transformed Shimabukuro’s relationship with the Institute. She interacted directly with scientists and engineers and witnessed firsthand their passion and curiosity. Their enthusiasm was contagious and reminded Shimabukuro of the value of forging close ties at work. She continues to make new friends as a supporter of the Caltech Y.

It was through CMA that she met Manning.

For Shimabukuro, linking Manning to Caltech students is more than a symbolic gesture. She has organized dinners at the Athenaeum so that her scholarship recipients can meet him and Caltech alumni, including her friend and Caltech Trustee Charles Trimble (BS ’63, MS ’64). Her hope is that these notable alumni will become lifelong mentors, cheerleaders, and friends to her scholars.

“Meeting Rob and Charlie can have a huge impact on a young person’s career," says Shimabukuro, whose scholarship already has supported four students. "It is my fervent hope that, as they get older and more accomplished in their careers, these students will mentor the next generation of scientists and engineers."

Honoring a Pioneer in the Exploration of Mars

For more than 40 years, Manning has helped push the limits of robotic space exploration. He has worked on nearly every one of JPL’s Mars missions, overseen the development of spacecraft, and designed a roadmap for future missions, including human travel to Mars. For Manning’s contributions, NASA has honored him with medals for excellence in engineering and for his role in developing a "spacefaring civilization."

Manning initially turned down Shimabukuro’s idea to endow a scholarship in his name. But she convinced him that the title was more than an honorific. It was a means to build meaningful connections. Manning ultimately embraced his role as mentor and friend to Shimabukuro’s scholarship recipients.

"Doris approaches life as a learner and brings with her unbridled curiosity and enthusiasm," Manning says. "Little does she know that many of us at CMA are inspired by her kindness and generosity."

It is that enthusiasm for learning that Manning also embodies in his interaction with students. "Sometimes when you’re working so hard for your degree, it’s easy to lose sight of the magic of STEM," Manning says, referring to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. "Talking with students gives me an excuse to ooze the excitement and passion I have for what I do. And it allows students to step away from their challenges and remember why they love STEM."