My Big Thank You
For some, the student-athlete experience, albeit a memorable one, begins when they set foot on campus as a Freshman and ends four or five years later upon graduation. For others, however, due to the impact that time has on their lives, it never truly ends.
Jackie Vasquez-Lapan (simply Jackie Vasquez at the time) set foot on ASU’s campus in 2004. She was the first member of her family to attend college and was a talented young softball prospect. She wasn’t just excited to be there.
“I definitely felt like I had something to prove and that’s something I’ve carried with me that constantly motivates me,” Vasquez-Lapan said. “As a student-athlete and a first-generation college student, you’re always going to have that chip on your shoulder.”
Vasquez-Lapan used that motivation and channeled it to help lead the Sun Devil Softball program to a National Championship in 2008.
Upon graduation she used her experiences and connections gained throughout her time as a Sun Devil to quickly build a successful career in the non-profit space, giving back to those most in need. Once she met her now husband, Dave Lapan, who has a charitable foundation of his own a collision course with the Sun Devil Club became inevitable.
“I have always seen the value in giving back and once I met Dave, a long time UofA, UW and Cal donor, I quickly had him in Maroon & Gold,” added Vasquez-Lapan. “It wasn’t too hard to convince him as after just a few conversations with folks around campus he fell in love with the culture and charter at ASU.”
Vasquez-Lapan now runs the Lapan Sunshine Foundation, founded by Dave and his mother. Based in Tucson, the foundation provides crucial resources and support for at-risk youth with the goal of getting them to college.
“My scholarship and the opportunity Arizona State gave me changed the trajectory of not only my life, but my entire family’s” Vasquez-Lapan said. “This gift and this project are just my way of saying thank you.”
The gift she’s referring to is a major investment from the couple in the Sun Devil Softball program. They have made a substantial commitment to spearhead the renovation of Sun Devil Softball’s facility at Farrington Stadium.
“The fact that we were able to win a National Championship in this facility just goes to show the strength of the program,” Vasquez-Lapan said regarding the need for this capital project. “I’m so excited for the girls who will be able to benefit from this and I know the younger me would have been over the moon.”
The project is set to start construction in the summer of 2023. Please consider joining Jackie and making a gift to support this project. Every gift and show of philanthropic support makes an impact so to make yours on this project, click here.
“I would love to see others join Dave and I in this initiative,” Vasquez-Lapan concluded. “As someone who has walked a proverbial mile in the shoes of these student-athletes I know how much of a grind it is, but I also know how much it can be worth it. I’m living proof of the impact philanthropy can make on a young person’s life and I just want to be able to pay it forward. I really hope others will consider joining me.”
To make a gift in support of this campaign and to join Jackie and Dave, please contact your gift officer or reach out to the Sun Devil Club directly at 480-727-7700 or SunDevilClub@asu.edu.