Story Central

Forward-looking Generosity

With a historic $3 million commitment, Carlos and Malú Alvarez FR’00P help launch and advance The Campaign for SYA.

“Thoughtful,” “caring,” “strategic” and “generous” are among the more familiar words used to describe Carlos Alvarez by those who know this wise and thoughtful philanthropist from San Antonio. Within the SYA community he is respected and admired for his extraordinary commitment of time, talent and treasure to numerous and important SYA initiatives over many years.

A former SYA trustee and the father of Carla Alvarez Brozovich FR’00, Carlos Alvarez has consistently helped to move SYA forward in the realms of both program and facilities. Now, as The Campaign for SYA officially begins, Carlos and Malú Alvarez have made a record-breaking commitment to help launch and advance this critical initiative. With a $2 million outright gift, they have established the Malú and Carlos Alvarez Global Scholars Fund, a permanent endowed fund for financial aid. Each year, SYA will identify at least two Alvarez Global Scholars, talented young people from public schools for whom an SYA education and experience would be impossible, if not for the financial assistance provided by this new fund.

“It is our hope that The Campaign for SYA will not only deliver tremendous programmatic benefits to students and teachers but that it will also inspire greater excitement, advocacy and financial investment within our SYA family.”

— Carlos Alvarez FR’00P

With the remaining $1 million pledge, the Alvarez family has created the Alvarez Multiplier Match to help inspire other SYA alumni, parents and friends to join The Campaign for SYA with leadership-level support. The Alvarez Multiplier Match will contribute an additional 25% of all new campaign gifts of $100,000 or more, as well as 25% to existing campaign donors of $100,000 toward the amount of their “increased” support.

“It is our hope that The Campaign for SYA will not only deliver tremendous programmatic benefits to students and teachers but that it will also inspire greater excitement, advocacy and financial investment within our SYA family,” says Alvarez. “We have all seen SYA transform students’ lives again and again over its 50-plus year history. With our collective giving we must ensure that SYA remains at the forefront of study abroad education well into the future and that it continues to be available to talented students.”

With this historic gift, Carlos and Malú Alvarez build upon a distinguished legacy of support for SYA. Their contributions include the acquisition and renovation of SYA’s facilities in Rennes (Villa Alvarez) and Zaragoza (Casa Foster 64); leadership with four others in creating a matching opportunity to honor SYA’s 50th anniversary; a lead gift to establish the SYA Japan Crane Fund, following the devastating tsunami and earthquake in 2011; and consistent support of the SYA Fund at a leadership level.

Carlos Alvarez received a biochemical engineering degree from the Monterrey Institute of Technology, Monterrey, Mexico. In 1986, he moved with his family from Mexico to San Antonio, Texas, to found The Gambrinus Company and was the driving force behind the initial launch of Corona beer in the United States. Today, Gambrinus is a leading craft brewer in the U.S. that owns and operated two distinctive breweries: the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas – brewer of Texas’ iconic Shiner Bock; and the Trumer Brewery in Berkeley, California – brewer of Trumer Pils.

SYA Board of Trustees Chair Kirk Davenport FR’77 FR’11P announced the historic Alvarez gift on May 16 at the campaign launch celebration held at the United Nations in New York City. “Carlos, Malú and the entire Alvarez family have demonstrated great care and leadership for SYA over many years,” Davenport said in his remarks. “Having their confidence and vision at the outset of this campaign inspires our philanthropy and generates excitement for the future of SYA. On behalf of our students, the beneficiaries of this remarkable support from the Alvarez family, we thank them whole-heartedly. Their forward-looking generosity will contribute to our world in immeasurable ways.”