Daniel Walker (‘74, Biology) embodies both gratitude and purpose through his generosity to Cal Poly Humboldt’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. He hopes to open doors for students and strengthen the program that first set him on his path. His two gifts—a scholarship endowment and a planned departmental endowment—share a single throughline: opportunity.

With his $30,000 gift, Walker established the Daniel Walker, Ph.D. Chemistry Scholarship Endowment, designed to provide annual awards of at least $1,000 in scholarships to undergraduate students majoring in Chemistry or Biochemistry.

For Walker, the motivation is simple: to give students the freedom to learn. “Scholarships relieve pressure so students can focus,” Walker says. “If you can help even a few students worry less about money, they can focus more on learning.” As part of his estate plans, Walker intends to add to the scholarship endowment fund so that, in time, it can support several students each year. 

Dan Walker's generosity will alleviate financial burdens, enhance teaching, and broaden opportunities for future Lumberjacks studying Chemistry and Biochemistry.

In addition to including the endowment fund in his estate plans, Walker gifted $500,000 to a planned endowment named the Daniel Walker, Ph.D. Chemistry Department Endowment Fund—will establish a permanent source of support for the department’s greatest needs. Administered at the discretion of the department chair, the fund’s flexibility is key. Walker wants this endowment to empower faculty and students to act on opportunities as they arise, whether that means helping students travel for conferences, purchasing a critical instrument, or advancing new projects in teaching and research.

For Walker, Cal Poly Humboldt is more than a place; it’s part of his story. He met his first wife here and became part of her family’s generations-long connection to the University. His friends from Redwood Hall still gather, reminiscing about the same redwood-framed campus that helped shape his future.

“Humboldt gave me a well-rounded education with strong science teaching,” Walker says. “Professors knew us, and we knew them.”

That connection deepened through a single course in biochemistry taught by Chemistry Professor Robert Wallace, who became both a mentor and friend.

“That class lit the spark,” Walker says. “Directing my philanthropy to chemistry and biochemistry just feels right. It’s where the spark was ignited.”

Comparing his experience to peers across the country, even those from Ivy League schools, Walker insists Humboldt held its own.

“The education was rigorous, but broad too. It made me a better thinker and a better leader,” he says. He’s also thrilled to see current students engaging in hands-on learning and undergraduate research.

Walker hopes his legacy will ease financial burdens, strengthen teaching, and expand what’s possible for future Lumberjacks.

“If I had access to excellent teaching without the financial burden so many students face now, then I should help the next generation get that same start,” Walker says.

After Walker graduated from Humboldt, he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry at Purdue University. His career spanned leadership roles in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, ranging from quality control and manufacturing to business development, sales, and eventually CEO positions in both the U.S. and Sweden. Through it all, he carried with him the lessons of Humboldt’s small classes, passionate professors, and emphasis on curiosity.

When asked what he’d tell students considering Humboldt for their undergraduate degree, Walker doesn’t hesitate. “You can get an outstanding education here. You’ll be known, challenged, supported—and ready for whatever comes next. Do the work. Ask questions. Take the opportunities in front of you.”

Join Daniel Walker in empowering Cal Poly Humboldt students. By creating an endowed scholarship including Humboldt in your estate plans, you can help students discover their passions and pursue their purpose. To make a gift or learn more, please contact the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation at giving@humboldt.edu or call (707) 826-5200.