Every year, 20 talented students at Berkeley have the opportunity to engage in creative research here thanks to the generosity of one of Cal’s successful and humanitarian alumni.

Robert (Bob) Haas majored in English and was valedictorian in the class of 1964. Following graduation, he taught English in western Africa as a member of the Peace Corps before earning an MBA from Harvard in 1968. Haas served as a White House Fellow in the Johnson Administration, returned to San Francisco to work as a management consultant, and in 1973 joined the family business, Levi Strauss & Co., and served as its CEO from 1984 until 1999 and as chairman since 1989.

Bob Haas has been widely recognized for his progressive philanthropic and business leadership. He and his Colleen live outside of San Francisco with their daughter Elise.

In 1997 the Haas Scholars Program was created at Berkeley through a generous gift from Bob and Colleen Haas. The program creates opportunities for academically talented undergraduates to engage in a sustained research, field-study or creative projects.