It is with a truly heavy heart that I share the news that the Campaign for College Opportunity’s co-founder, David Wolf, passed away on April 9, 2021.
After
an amazing career in higher education, David Wolf joined Steve Weiner
on a road trip across California in retirement. They spoke to experts,
did research, raised money, and convinced iconic civil rights leader
Antonia Hernandez, legendary business leader Bill Hauck, and prominent
community college champion David Viar to co-found the Campaign for
College Opportunity in 2004.
David
and Steve then launched a rigorous search for a leader. I was less than
six years out of grad school and I saw this job announcement – a leader
who could ensure California would protect the promise of college
opportunity. I read that job announcement and found my purpose. Sheryl
Sandberg might have called it leaning in. I’d never run an organization
or raised money, but I really wanted to do this work and had ideas for
why I was a good fit. I sent my cover letter and resume and got my
first-round interview. It was scheduled at the Wolf home had a beautiful
pathway to the front door with big bay windows. Behind these windows,
David and Steve positioned themselves so they could see you and judge
your prospects before you even got a handshake in.
I
later learned that as soon as Steve saw me, he turned to David
and said, “This is gonna be quick.” David agreed. Despite their first
impression, the interview went really well. We both laughed afterward in
the realization that first impressions aren’t always accurate. They
both loved telling this story. I was one of the top three finalists for
the job but I didn’t get it. Abdi Soltani, who got the job, ended up
hiring me as his #2 person because he had the confidence to ask David if
there was anyone he should talk to. Both David and Steve told Abdi to
talk to me. I became the President four years later.
In
17 years, I learned a lot from David, and this “how we met story” was
just the first lesson he gave me. As brilliant and talented as he always
was, he was absolutely comfortable with being surprised and even being
wrong. He was an inquisitive man and knew that as much as he knew, he
didn’t know it all. And he relished in the joy and company of people who
taught him new things.
It
took me a while before I got comfortable with this story. As a woman
and as a Latina, I learned that being underestimated was not the worst
thing you could be. You could always show up, work hard, out-strategize
those who hadn’t prepared like you did, and experience the true joy of
surprising those who underestimated you. David really relished in that.
The
work of the Campaign for College Opportunity has followed that path.
For years it was difficult to get traction and we were often
underestimated. But 17 years later this small organization that started
on a road trip has made the most significant changes in higher education
in California. This made David incredibly proud. After a long career,
retirement didn’t mean David stopped trying to make things better for
students – through policy change at the Campaign and by directly
mentoring students with his wife Ruth at Roseland University Prep
through the Yes We Can scholarship fund.
Some
might not think a retired white Jewish baby boomer who grew up in Los
Angeles and worked in some of the most prestigious posts in academia
would have much in common with a young Latina who was the first in her
family to go to college, but we did. We were both passionate,
inquisitive, and committed - David about making sure the next generation
would have the same chance to advance economically and civically
through higher education as he did, and myself feeling the same pressure
to make sure others who looked like me, those who didn't always give a
good first impression, could get a shot at college and success.
I
was blessed that our paths crossed. I cannot imagine my life without
him. We all know there are only a handful of people that change the
trajectory of where you might end up AND who challenge and make you
better for being in your life.
When
Steve Weiner died, David shared the following with me, “There is a
Jewish line of thought that defines immortality as the thoughts about a
person that persist after the individual is no longer physically with
us. We now think about our friend and in so doing, he lives on.”
So
of course, in his final lesson to me, he taught me there will never be a
world without David Wolf. He is a part of me. He is a part of all of
us. He will always be a part of the Campaign for College Opportunity and
every small and big accomplishment that's been had or is yet to
come. It brings me so much comfort that we made him proud of the temple
he built.
I
promise each of you that our work to ensure California significantly
increases college opportunity and student success will continue. David’s
vision for a better California will be with us every single day. In
this work, we will keep his memory alive and indeed he will be
immortalized.
David
is survived by his beautiful wife Ruth Wolf and their sons Ben and
Eric. If you would like to share your thoughts about David with his
family, please feel free to do so in the tribute section
below or in the 'stories' tab above.
Remarks delivered by the Yes We Can scholars who have been funded and mentored by David and Ruth: Nadia Paniagua, Maria Nolasco, Isabel Jimenez, Jocelyn Jimenez, Brayan Orduna, and Rodrigo Estrella.
There are no words that can express the sadness we feel about David’s passing. His passion for higher education left a remarkable impact in each one of our lives. Today we are deeply saddened to say goodbye to one of the kindest human beings we have ever met.
David came into our lives as a huge blessing. We are thankful and humbled to have met such a delightful soul. He brought great wisdom and enthusiasm to our lives. He was truly the MAN. Although he is not physically here with us anymore, he will forever remain in our hearts. He will be our Angel guiding us towards the right direction and help us continue working hard toward our goals.
David gave us our wings. He helped make our dreams of pursuing higher education a reality. He believed in us even when we didn’t believe in ourselves. He taught us to be courageous and to follow our own paths. He supported our decision to follow alternate majors in physical science, social science and design fields; even when our families didn’t support our decisions, David was there to motivate us. He believed in the Yes We Can family and pushed us to the peak of our limits.
David might have started off as being our scholarship donor, but he became so much more to us. He was our mentor, teacher, at times counselor, an advocate, a grandpa, family, and a friend.
David will be missed, but never forgotten. He will rest well in our hearts.