Building momentum together

Supply chain faculty Gopalakrishnan and Srimathy Mohan know the biggest changes can start with the smallest actions.

As researchers in supply chain and logistics, Gopalakrishnan and Srimathy Mohan understand the downstream effects that small changes can create. Gopalakrishnan (or Dr. G) came to the United States from India 40 years ago with no ambitions of becoming a professor.

"Getting a PhD was not initially part of the plan for me. I was going to get my master’s degree and then a job," he says. That plan was altered when he got an opportunity as a teaching assistant to teach a first-year math course. "That changed everything for me. I fell in love with teaching and that led to pursuing a PhD. All along the financial support from the university was key to pursuing my dream to become a researcher and a professor."

Currently the senior associate dean for faculty at W. P. Carey, Dr. G and his wife, Dr. Srimathy Mohan, an associate professor in supply chain management, wanted to create similar opportunities for students. In 2018, they jointly funded the Mohan Family Scholarship, which supports W. P. Carey students seeking degrees in supply chain.

"Access, excellence, and innovation are vital to who we are as a business school, and this really gets to the access piece," says Dr. G. "We decided to give money towards a scholarship because it can have an immediate impact by stewarding opportunities a student might not have had otherwise."

Sun Devil Giving Day is one option our community has for creating those opportunities for students. "The nice thing about contributing on Sun Devil Giving Day is you really get to see the momentum," explains Dr. G. "When a group of people together decide they want to make an impact for our students, it can be truly astonishing what they accomplish. In turn, we know that our students will go on to accomplish amazing things in their own lives and for our communities."

This year’s focus is on the W. P. Carey School of Business Kay A. Faris Emergency Scholarship Fund. Dr. G and Dr. Srimathy encourage fellow Sun Devils to contribute to this noble cause that makes continued academic pursuits possible for students who are facing unexpected financial hardship.

You can join the momentum this Sun Devil Giving on March 16. Visit wpcarey.asu.edu/give to make your gift.