Bill ’97 and Rowena Tarantino
As a Cal student in the 1990s, Bill Tarantino kept busy with the Cal Band, a fraternity, student orientations, and more, all while earning a dual degree in psychology and social welfare. He also had a work-study job in fundraising, where he learned how important philanthropy is to maintaining Cal’s excellence.
Bill and his wife, Rowena, have made a multi-year commitment to support the university, and they are thrilled that their daughter Lucia is going to Cal.
“It’s been great to watch the university come so far in helping alums understand why giving back is vital to Cal’s mission. We wanted to recognize and express our gratitude toward different parts of campus that inspired us and helped create great family memories,” Bill says.
The couple’s support has benefitted areas across campus: the band, the UC Botanical Garden, and the Department of Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies. “My aunt was one of the first students in the Filipinx studies at Cal in the 1960s,” Rowena says, “and she continues to actively follow the program.”
Bill believes strongly that philanthropy by alums plays a critical role in sustaining UC Berkeley’s preeminence and its role in serving the greater good. “Giving back, even in a small amount, helps drive its mission forward,” he says, “and it provides just and equitable access to an excellent education.”
