Miaad and Albert Bushala have always given their all when it comes to supporting their children’s education. The couple from Orange County, Calif, were active parents at the arts high school their two kids attended, and that desire to make a difference has extended to their children’s college experiences, including that of their daughter at UC Berkeley.
“Culturally, we are very big on giving back,” says Miaad, who works with Albert in their real estate development and investment business. “We realize the value of philanthropy, and we use it as a way of not only saying thanks to institutions that have shaped our family and our children so much, but also as a way to give others the same opportunities that our children have had. That is what’s most important to us as a family.”
At Berkeley, the Bushalas’ family value of giving back has led Miaad and Albert to join the Cal Parents Board, to help serve as advocates and ambassadors for Berkeley — both on and off campus — as well as to help the large university feel smaller and make a measurable difference for the university overall.
It’s also a fun way for the Bushalas to learn more about Berkeley and support the experience of their daughter, who is also named Miaad and currently in her second year of study. “She is very interested in business and has been taking the fundamental business courses as well as elective courses on topics such as philanthropy, leadership, feedback and more,” Albert says. “She believes that business is the most powerful force for positive change and has been choosing classes that will ultimately help her advance her personal life mission of being a force for good in the business world.”
Meanwhile the Bushalas, in their first year on the Cal Parents Board, have enjoyed collaborating and networking with other parents and campus representatives, supporting efforts that impact students and their families.. They are currently working to organize events in different regions, including Orange County, that will give incoming Berkeley students a chance to connect with one another before school starts — and will spread the word to their parents about the work of the Cal Parents Board.
But the Bushalas aren’t just active volunteers. They’ve also made gifts to Berkeley in a wide range of areas, including the Department of Music, reflecting a passion for music that runs in the family. The younger Miaad is an accomplished singer, and her brother, also named Albert and in his second year at Chapman University, is a skilled drummer; both attended high school at the Orange County School of the Arts. Additionally, among their parents’ real estate projects is a music venue in Orange County.
They have also made contributions to the Cal Parents Fund, which provides campus leaders the flexibility to support the areas of greatest need and target resources to directly enhance student life. “We have given to the Cal Parents Fund because of the amazing experience our daughter has had so far at the school,” Miaad says. “We want to improve the school to make it an even better environment for the students.”
In all, Miaad and Albert Bushala’s generosity of time and resources to Berkeley underscores the shared family value of giving back. “I think the best gift you can give your children is to teach them the importance of philanthropy and giving back to institutions that you believe in and know will make a difference in others’ lives,” Albert says. “For us, we believe that one of the greatest gifts in life is opening opportunities for others.”
- Learn more about the Cal Parents Board
- Impact student experience with a gift to the Cal Parents Fund