Ann Gonzales-Lindahl ’86 and Greg Lindahl ’86, MBA ’93
Ann Gonzales-Lindahl ’86 knows firsthand about sacrifice and the blessings of a scholarship.
Both were instilled into her as an only child growing up in Ventura, where she was raised mostly by her mother. Money was tight, but a Catholic education was essential.
To augment her mother’s nursing income, Gonzales-Lindahl worked during high school at McDonald’s, starting behind the counter and rising to first-level manager. By the end of her tenure, she was ordering supplies and making sales projections—an experience that sparked her interest in studying business.
Santa Clara University was Catholic, and it had a strong business program. But when it came to college applications, a high school counselor warned her not to put undue financial pressure on her mother.
To her delight, SCU’s offer came with an Everett Alvarez Jr. Endowed Scholarship, significantly reducing her dependence on student loans.
“All the positive things lined up to lead me here,” including, she says, meeting her husband, Greg Lindahl ’86, MBA ’93.
The experience also inspired her to repay SCU for the opportunity. While working at a bank after the birth of her son Erik Lindahl ’19, Gonzales-Lindahl was offered a life insurance policy as part of her compensation. The couple decided to designate Santa Clara University as the beneficiary of the policy and join the Thomas I. Bergin Legacy Society. Their gift will support the General Financial Aid Scholarships Fund.
“We were not at the point where we could write a big check to Santa Clara,” says Gonzales-Lindahl. “But the fact of the matter is that every gift—even a small gift—affects a student’s future, because those are investments in the University, and they grow.”
You—like Gonzales-Lindahl—have the power to change the lives of SCU students. It may be as simple as completing an online form. Contact the Office of Planned Giving at 408-554-2108 or giftplanning@scu.edu to start a conversation about your legacy.