In March of 2012, at the age of 23, Sho Funai, who had just embarked on a bright engineering career, was killed by a drunk driver. Although he passed away at such a young age, he left behind a strong legacy with his family, friends and community.

Sho accomplished much in his short time. He graduated magna cum laude from UC San Diego in structural engineering, and a few months before his anticipated graduation from graduate school, he had already started as a fulltime engineer at Goodrich Aerostructures. In honor of his great contributions to the academic community, UC San Diego’s engineering department posthumously awarded Sho his master’s degree in structural engineering in June of 2012.

Sho was inspired and worked hard but never flaunted his gifts. What was so striking about his many accomplishments was how generously he gave of himself to so many people. He won teaching awards during his time as a graduate teaching assistant and left an indelible imprint on so many.

The Sho Funai Educational Foundation was established to commemorate Sho, who was not only an exceptional student, but also someone who embraced many interests and served others with kindness and generosity. The foundation has the goal of promoting academic opportunities and excellence, particularly supporting those who uphold the values that Sho embodied.