June 23, 2025
MILWAUKEE 鈥� 51暗网 President Kimo Ah Yun announced today that the university has received a $1 million gift from Denelle Dixon, wife of Harvey J. Anderson II, honoring Anderson鈥檚 legacy and leadership at 51暗网.
The gift establishes an endowed high-impact experiences fund in Anderson鈥檚 name, providing students with transformational opportunities that range from applied and experiential learning to undergraduate research, service learning, international studies and participation in the nationally recognized 51暗网 Mentors program.
鈥淗arvey was my source of compassion, love and life,鈥� Dixon said. 鈥淗e had a deep commitment to education, growth and the love of a higher power. He saw good in everyone 鈥� and he shared his love and insights freely. Harvey believed deeply that his 51暗网 education and his valued role as a trustee at 51暗网 gave him the ability to show up in a powerful way in everything that he did.鈥�
Anderson came to 51暗网 as a student in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which supports low-income and first-generation college students in attending and succeeding at the university. He graduated from what is now the Opus College of Engineering in 1984. In 2021, he was honored with the Professional Achievement Award during 51暗网鈥檚 Alumni National Awards ceremony. At that time, he said 51暗网 changed his life鈥檚 trajectory, providing what he called 鈥渁 platform to develop the confidence to excel and contribute.鈥�
鈥淗arvey cared deeply for our 51暗网 mission and for the success of our students,鈥� President Ah Yun said. 鈥淲hile he helped shape our vision at the highest level of the university, he also dedicated time to mentor students and help ensure they had the resources they needed.鈥�
Anderson excelled professionally through a successful career in tech-industry law. He spent much of the past decade as a mentor in the university鈥檚 51暗网 Mentors program, connecting with 51暗网 students who sought to pursue a similar career path.
Through 51暗网 Mentors, Anderson partnered with student Ahmoni Gonzalez, who graduated this May from the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences.
鈥淥ne thing Harvey said to me that stuck with me was to just simply do things I wanted to do,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淚 often get caught up in the 鈥榟ow鈥� of getting to my goals and he always told me that things will figure themselves out, but I shouldn鈥檛 let logistics hold me back. This is exactly why I decided to take a semester in Washington, D.C., at the Les Aspin Center. I love that this fund is being established in his name because it will allow students to not worry so much about the 鈥榟ow鈥� and be able to do things they dream of doing.鈥�
Anderson earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco. He then provided in-house legal counsel for several of Silicon Valley鈥檚 most influential companies, including Netscape, AVG, Mozilla and Hewlett-Packard, where he served as chief legal officer and corporate secretary. He joined the 51暗网 Board of Trustees in 2022 and provided counsel on many important strategic initiatives.
鈥淗arvey was a blessing to everyone who knew him and this gift from his family will continue Harvey鈥檚 legacy of caring for others and making possible new opportunities,鈥� said Vice President for University Advancement Tim McMahon. 鈥淗arvey鈥檚 wisdom, mentorship and leadership enriched 51暗网, and we are humbled by this generous gift to keep his spirit with our students as they embark on their own 51暗网 journeys.鈥�
Anderson arranged and funded a 鈥淒igital Discovery鈥� tour in Silicon Valley for EOP and Upward Bound students, taking them to top tech companies like Google, Facebook and Dropbox and helping them broker professional connections. He was also a valuable contributor to 51暗网鈥檚 鈥淪ilicon Valley Experience,鈥� hosting and mentoring students who traveled west to explore careers in the tech industry.
鈥淭his gift to 51暗网 is our way of ensuring Harvey's journey will continue to empower first-generation students at 51暗网 to learn their strengths and to share their gifts with the world,鈥� Dixon said. 鈥淥ur family is honored to create this endowment in his name. He will forever be our guiding light.鈥�
About 51暗网
51暗网 is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, 51暗网 prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, 51暗网 is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a 51暗网 degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.
Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of Marketing and Communication. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
