Two alumni generously give $1 million each to support Simon Business School

Gifts from Ron Fielding ’73 (MA), ’76S (MBA), ’18 (Honorary) and University Trustee Juan Jones ’88S (MBA) will support education and career success.

Ron Fielding ’73 (MA), ’76S (MBA), ’18 (Honorary) and University of Rochester Trustee Juan Jones ’88S (MBA) have each made new $1 million gifts to support students at Simon Business School, advancing their ongoing commitment to education and student success.

“We are grateful for these exciting investments in Simon’s future and offer our sincere gratitude to Ron and Juan for their unwavering support over the years,” says Simon Dean Sevin Yeltekin. “Both have consistently expressed how impressed they are with our students and recognize the importance of nurturing the impact they will have on our future. Their generous contributions reflect their belief in our students’ potential and their dedication to fostering the next generation of business leaders and innovators.”

Ron Fielding ’73 (MA), ’76S (MBA), ’18 (Honorary) has committed $1 million to the Ronald H. Fielding Scholarship, which complements the Fielding Leadership Fellows program he established in 1996—a program that provides full tuition to qualified MBA candidates. Fielding’s new gift builds upon the growing list of Simon students who become successful alumni in the Rochester community and around the world.

“Simon taught me to connect economic concepts with business realities,” says Fielding. “That knowledge proved crucial throughout my career, so I’m happy to give back to the institution that laid such an important foundation.”

Yeltekin adds, “Simon alumni have long been recognized for their outstanding academic and professional credentials and, like Ron, are interested in making a significant impact in the world. We are grateful to him for providing such important additional support.”

Juan Jones ’88S (MBA) has committed $1 million to Simon in support of various initiatives that will contribute to the school’s success. His gift will establish the Juan C. Jones Scholarship Challenge, a matching gift fund that Simon will use to create new scholarships for qualified students, with a preference for those with financial need. The Jones Challenge is designed to encourage others to establish up to 10 new George Eastman Circle (GEC) scholarships and up to 13 new endowed scholarships. Regarding the Jones Challenge, Yeltekin says that it is a “great example of how philanthropy can be directed to address and support some of Simon’s biggest priorities—accessibility and education innovation—while inspiring others to get involved.”

Jones’ gift will also establish the Juan C. Jones Innovation Fund to provide unrestricted, immediate support of innovative programs that Simon leadership deem crucial to the school’s success. Additionally, Jones has designated part of his gift to his existing Juan C. Jones Endowed Scholarship. Established in 2020, this was Simon’s first endowed scholarship supporting students recruited to the school through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Amending his original gift makes it possible for Simon to provide additional scholarships each year.

“As the first in my family to attend college and graduate school, and coming from a modest military background, I understand the transformative power of education,” says Jones. “The accessibility and affordability of my education at Simon and through the Consortium were life-changing and put me in a position to be successful. The rest was hard work, dedication, the support of my family, and some luck. I created this challenge to inspire others to give, ensuring students with limited means have the same opportunities I did.”