Investing in Impact

For as long as she’s been a Trojan, Cynthia van Eck ’86 has shared her time, talent and resources with USC.
A philanthropist, community leader and dedicated champion of the Trojan Family, van Eck has shaped the USC Marshall School of Business through decades of service and strategic giving. Her impact is visible not only in programs and initiatives, but in the students and colleagues she inspires.

“She’s a force of nature,” says Stephen Tosh, executive director of the Boys’ Club of New York. “She sets the bar high and expects the best from all of us.”

A Trojan foundation

The lifelong commitment to USC began when van Eck was an undergraduate at USC Marshall, where she earned a degree in finance in 1986. Today, she serves as chair of the USC Marshall Board of Leaders, providing strategic counsel to the dean, and as a member of its Board of Councilors. In both roles, she is known for her energy and engagement.

“She’s organized, inspirational and committed,” USC Marshall Dean Geoffrey Garrett says.

Creating opportunities

A defining focus of van Eck’s philanthropy is experiential learning. Alongside her husband, Jan, she helped establish the VanEck Student Investment Fund, which allows students to manage a real portfolio through the USC Marshall Center for Investment Studies.

“Students really learn how to pick stocks or bonds and manage risk,” says Suh-Pyng Ku, professor of clinical finance and business economics and director of the Center for Investment Studies at USC Marshall.
The couple also created the VanEck Global Scholars Program, supporting student research trips to New York City and connecting Trojans with alumni networks and industry leaders. “A big part of that effort was to really help our students who seek to build their career on the East Coast, to broaden the alumni network,” Ku explains.

Investing in the future

Advancing philanthropy at USC Marshall has also been a priority for van Eck. As chair of the steering committee for the Torch Initiative for Women’s Philanthropy, she helped launch a campaign that has raised more than $76 million — two and a half times its original goal. The initiative has expanded the visibility and leadership of women donors across the Trojan community.

As part of their work to support emerging areas of study, van Eck and her husband recently established the VanEck Digital Assets Initiative, a hub for education and community efforts focused on blockchain technology and the evolving digital economy.

“We’re now a real leader, not only nationally but globally in digital assets,” Garrett says.

Beyond USC

Beyond USC, van Eck’s philanthropic work is focused on education and youth development. She has served as a trustee of the Boys’ Club of New York, Sacred Heart Greenwich and Choate Rosemary Hall, and has supported organizations in the arts and athletics, including the U.S. Squash Foundation and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

She also serves as chair and treasurer of the Fred M. van Eck Forest Foundation, which promotes sustainable forest management that balances economic, environmental and community benefits.

A lasting legacy

The van Ecks’ support has propelled the university to the forefront of digital assets. “[USC] is a real leader now, not only nationally, but globally. … That’s all things blockchain technology,” Garrett says. “That’s only possible because of the support of Cynthia and her husband, Jan.”