Five Questions for Good: Philanthropic Spotlight with Stephen Can
In this edition of Five Questions for Good, Amy Stursberg, Executive Director of the Blackstone Foundation, sat down with Stephen Can, Senior Managing Director and Co-head of Strategic Partners, to discuss his philanthropic efforts, growing up on a dairy farm, and his commitment to helping students attend college.
Amy Stursberg: You grew up on a dairy farm in Upstate NY. What were your early introductions to supporting your community? How did your family talk about giving back?
Stephen Can: I grew up in a town called Chaumont, about 80 miles north of Syracuse, NY. The temperature frequently hits 30-below in the wintertime. Sometimes, it snows in May or September.
Growing up, we lived milk-check to milk-check, so as far as philanthropy goes, we never talked about giving money away, but we always talked about supporting our farm neighbors-in-need. That was our philanthropy, our reality. If a neighbor fell ill, we would make and bring to them stews and pie. We would help them with barn chores when they couldn’t do those things by themselves.
My parents also instilled in me and my siblings that your word had to be good. For example, if you borrowed someone’s equipment, you had to return it better than you received it; otherwise, they wouldn’t lend it to you anymore. I’m still very much driven by these principles in my life, and they are front in center in how my family and I approach our giving.
AS: Tell me a bit about your path from a farm to founding Strategic Partners. What role did education play?
SC: My sister and I were the first ones in our family to go to college. My sister was older, she went off to the Air Force and then OTS, and that led her to several college degrees. I very much looked up to her.
I was fortunate to have educational opportunities that helped get me where I am today. I attended Jefferson Community College, and after two years, went to SUNY Plattsburgh. After graduation, I got a full scholarship to Purdue to get my Masters of Science in Finance. The opportunity to get my education would have never been available to me had I not received scholarships.
Right after graduation I started at IBM, and made donations to my schools annually ever since. l have and always will feel indebted to these education institutions. Education, hard work and networking have all been critical in my success, but without education, there would have been no opportunity. Education is key.
AS: In 2007, you launched the Jefferson-Can Community Scholars Program, a merit-based full-tuition scholarship awarded to top performing high school seniors who plan to attend Jefferson Community College. What inspired you to start the Jeff-Can Scholars Program? How does it work?
SC: About 10 years ago, I wanted to be more strategic in giving back to these institutions that had given me so much, and decided to give smart students from my community a chance, an opportunity. And that’s how Jefferson-Can Community Scholars Program (Jeff-Can) was born.
So, here’s how it works. Jefferson and Lewis County, a landmass bigger than Long Island, only graduates 1,200 high school students a year. From that 1,200, we offer the top 15 percent (180 students) a full ride to community college for the first year. Annually about 55 students end up enrolled as a Jeff-Can Scholar. We’ve found that helping more students get to college, actually helps more students get through college. Many of these scholars would not go to college without this help. The program itself gives free tuition for the first year because we believe if these students started college and they did really well, they wouldn’t stop.
After 12 years, we’ve supported 626 students’ first year of college, so it’s been pretty impactful.
My wife and I meet with every scholar twice a year. Their stories are powerful, and their ambitions are amazing and varied. These scholars want to be physician assistants, computer scientists, hotel developers, teachers, law enforcement, and civil engineers. We feel so fortunate that we can help these talented, passionate students on their path to a career and success.
AS: Your philanthropy has certainly had a profound impact on many lives. How has philanthropy and volunteering impacted your family?
SC: My wife, Pam, is incredibly involved in our local community, and volunteers with many great organizations. She’s also engaged both our son and daughter in this work.
Years ago, Pam volunteered weekly with this soup kitchen in our town. On occasion, I have joined her. I am normally in the back kitchen cutting up the carrots or onions or potatoes, and Pam is a star in the serving line. She’s beloved. Back then, our son, then a typical teenager, joined her on the serving line. A guy, dressed in a parka and a wool hat in the dead of summer, comes up to get his dinner and he looks at my son. He says, “How are you doing in school? Do good in school so you don’t end up like me.”
That moment opened my son’s eyes, and really shaped how he valued the opportunities he had. It was pretty impactful for me, as well, and changed the way our family talked about our responsibilities and commitment to helping those in need.
AS: What advice would you give to Blackstone employees who are looking to give back to their local communities?
SC: Pick one cause. Pick one that you can really give time to and that you have passion about, and commit to it over a long period. Over time, take what you’ve learned, and expand your reach to new areas. For me, I’ve found great joy in supporting my home-town, in building a program that I care passionately about, and in giving back to the institutions that changed the course of my life.
