Pramit Jhaveri '87S (MBA)
Juan Jones '88S (MBA)
Expanding Opportunity: Alumni Giving Fuels the Future of Simon
At Simon Business School, the impact of a scholarship often extends far beyond the classroom. For many students, it’s the moment a possibility becomes reality—and increasingly, alumni are stepping forward to create those moments for others. Two recent initiatives—the Pramit Jhaveri George Eastman Circle (GEC) Challenge Fund and the Juan C. Jones Scholarship Challenge—are designed to do just that. By matching alumni contributions, these programs multiply the power of giving, opening doors for future generations of Simon students.
The Alumni Behind the Challenges
Both initiatives are rooted in the leadership and vision of dedicated Simon alumni. Pramit Shashikant Jhaveri ’87S (MBA) is a member of the Board of Trustees at University of Rochester. He built a distinguished global career in banking, including serving as CEO of Citibank India and later as vice chairman of banking for Asia Pacific at Citi. Today, he advises organizations across the corporate and investment landscape and serves on multiple boards, while also supporting a wide range of philanthropic efforts focused on education, the arts, and cultural preservation. Juan Jones `88S (MBA) has built a decades-long career in enterprise technology sales, culminating as Executive Vice President at Oracle Corporation where he manages multibillion-dollar customer relationships after earlier roles at Microsoft and IBM. Juan is also a member of the Board of Trustees at University of Rochester and serves on Simon’s National Council, where he advises school leadership on strategic initiatives and student engagement. He established the Jones Scholarship Challenge to encourage fellow alumni to invest in scholarships that expand access to graduate business education. His initiative reflects a shared belief among Simon alumni: that opportunity should be both earned and enabled. Together, their efforts set the stage for a new wave of giving—one that invites others to participate and amplifies the impact of every contribution.
A Catalyst for Giving: The Jhaveri Challenge
Established by Pramit Shashikant Jhaveri, the Pramit Jhaveri George Eastman Circle Challenge Fund encourages alumni and friends to create new GEC memberships and scholarships through a matching gift structure. The goal is simple but powerful: expand access to a Simon education while strengthening a culture of philanthropy within the community. For Mikayla Hart ’16S (MBA), the decision to give through the Jhaveri Challenge was deeply personal. “Joining Simon to pursue an MBA was one of the most pivotal moments of my life,” she says. “I have Simon’s scholarship program to thank for that opportunity.” Hart, now founding partner and chief sustainability officer at Congruence Capital, recalls the moment she received her Leadership Fellowship as transformative. After taking on significant debt as an undergraduate, she wasn’t sure graduate school would be possible. “I remember tears of gratitude,” she says. “I realized that my life was heading in an incredible direction.”
From Opportunity to Impact
That direction ultimately led Hart to a career at the intersection of business and purpose. After Simon, she joined consulting firm Accenture, where she helped build and lead its Sustainability Strategy practice in North America. Today, she continues that mission through impact investing. She credits Simon with helping her connect her passions with her profession. “It opened my eyes and opened doors,” Hart says. “The ideas, connections, and confidence I built at Simon were critical in helping me pursue a mission-driven career.” Her gift through the Jhaveri Challenge reflects a desire to create similar opportunities for others—while staying connected to a community she still considers family.
Multiplying Impact: The Jones Challenge
The Jones Scholarship Challenge, is inspiring alumni to invest in student success. Created by Juan Jones ’88S (MBA), the initiative uses matching funds to encourage the creation of GEC scholarships and endowed scholarships. For Donna Matheson, CFA, CPA ’78, ’79S (MBA), the program offered the right moment—and the right mechanism—to deepen her support. “When I heard about the Juan Jones Scholarship Challenge, I knew that it was the right time for me to start to fund an endowed scholarship,” she says. “This matching program multiplies our impact, allowing more students to receive the financial support they need to succeed.” Matheson brings decades of experience across financial services and nonprofit leadership, including senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and as CFO of Greenwich Academy. Today, she continues to serve on nonprofit boards and remains actively engaged with the University of Rochester community.
A Shared Commitment to Access
For Matheson, the decision to give is grounded in a belief in access and affordability—values that align closely with the goals of the Jones Challenge. “By joining the Jones Challenge, I’m able to build on our shared commitment of access, affordability, and student success,” she says. Like Hart, Matheson sees her contribution as part of something larger: a collective effort to ensure that talented students can pursue a Simon education, regardless of financial barriers.
Building a Stronger Simon Community
Together, the Jhaveri and Jones Challenges highlight the power of alumni giving—not just as a financial contribution, but as an investment in people. They also underscore a broader truth: the Simon experience doesn’t end at graduation. Through initiatives like these, alumni remain connected, engaged, and committed to shaping the future of the school. For Hart, that connection is deeply personal. “Simon is more than a school,” she says. “It’s a family.” And thanks to the generosity of alumni like Hart and Matheson, that family—and its impact—continues to grow.
For more information about these challenges, contact Jaime Earl
Donations to either challenge go towards the University's For Ever Better Campaign.