Light the Way: The Campaign for Berkeley

Kevin Chou ’02 says “beyond yourself,” a defining principle of the Haas School of Business, resonates with him. The founding CEO of mobile gaming firm Kabam, Chou and his wife, Dr. Connie Chen (pictured), recently made a gift of up to $25 million that affirms their belief in taking the long view.

It is the largest personal gift to UC Berkeley by an alumnus under the age of 40. Berkeley-Haas will name its new state-of- the-art academic building, opening later this year, Connie & Kevin Chou Hall. “I’m excited to be able to do this at this point in my career,” says Chou, 36, “because I get to spend time with students and with Haas professors and other administrators, collaborating and helping them think about the new student space and the program.”

The couple’s gift is also a testament to their support for Berkeley’s role in providing world-class public education to students of all backgrounds.

“Diversity is so important in terms of shaping future leaders,” says Chen, 29, a practicing physician and co-founder of Vida Health, which provides health coaching and programming. “We’re excited about bringing together students of all backgrounds — not just business students — to formulate ideas that will improve the world.”

The new $60 million building, funded entirely by private donations, comes at a critical time. Over the past 20 years, enrollment at Berkeley-Haas has nearly doubled to more than 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students in six degree programs.

Chou says Berkeley “instilled in me the tenacity that has sustained me through the highs and lows of my entrepreneurial career.”