Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’
From right, Thad Sauvain with his husband, Carl, in front of the Bernese Alps near Murren, Switzerland, in May 2025.
Thad Sauvain (ChemEngr’91) grew up in Colorado Springs in the 1980s, when the climate was largely anti-LGBTQ+ and conservative ministries such as Focus on the Family, headquartered just a few miles from his home, were actively opposing anti-discrimination policies.
Sauvain is part of the LGBTQ+ community, but during that period, he mostly kept that part of himself hidden.
“It was my transition to CU Boulder to get a BS in chemical engineering that allowed both parts of me—as an engineer and as a gay individual—to grow and thrive,” he said.
Sauvain recently established a legacy endowment in his estate plan to fund undergraduate scholarships for CU Boulder chemical and mechanical engineering majors, with preference given to students who demonstrate a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community through involvement in Out in STEM (oSTEM) or similar college programs.
Each year the endowment supports one student for four years of their college education.
“There’s a need to support students whose college funding may depend on families who are not accepting and who may be forced to choose between that funding and living authentically,” Sauvain said. “I want to support engineering students who struggle to thrive as LGBTQ+ individuals. I hope the endowment enables them to be their true selves while contributing to society as successful engineers.”
Thriving at CU
Sauvain studied chemical engineering at CU Boulder and was later recruited to join Chevron as a process engineer. He recently retired following a 33-year career with the company and is a member of theChemical and Biological Engineering Advisory Board.
“My engineering degree prepared me for my career and helped me build the connections that launched it,” he said.
Three years after starting his role at Chevron, Sauvain became involved in the company’s campus recruiting for engineers, a role that eventually grew into his work as a liaison for Chevron’s gifts, donations and funding.
In the early 2000s, he helped establish a Chevron scholarship for those involved in CU Boulder’s LGBTQ+ community, similar to scholarships for other diversity organizations in place at the time, during “a time when it was not the norm.”
Thad Sauvain shortly after graduating from CU Boulder and
starting his career with Chevron in 1991.
“Some responded negatively to this new scholarship,” he said. “But Chevron’s senior management remained steadfast in its support of the new scholarship as it aligned with the company’s values and The Chevron Way.
“Every time I tell people that I went to CU Boulder, I feel a deep sense of pride,” he added. “Even back in the 1980s, it was a shining beacon of acceptance. I've seen that grow and broaden over the years, and I am very proud to be part of the CU community and a graduate of CU Boulder's College of Engineering.”
Looking ahead
Sauvain recently met with oSTEM students to talk about the climate for today’s LGBTQ+ community and its historical context.
“I told them that in 1998 when Matthew Shepard was killed, you could not be out and visible, gay, transgender, anything. And though it seems like we're taking several steps backwards now, it has gotten better since then, and long term, I fully believe that it will again get better.”
Sauvain emphasized the College of Engineering’s strong support for the LGBTQ community, noting that he has seen this commitment firsthand through his work with Chevron, his service on the Engineering Advisory Board, and now through the creation of this endowment.
“Being part of the LGBTQ+ community is only one aspect of my being, just as my training as a chemical engineer is another,” he said. “Both have enriched my life in ways I never expected. My chemical engineering degree from CU enabled me to build a successful 35-year career in an industry not necessarily known for being accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, during which I came out to everyone in my life. I attribute my college years at CU with giving me the confidence to become my true self, both as an LGBTQ individual and as a chemical engineer, and I hope that this endowment will help others following a similar path.”
To learn more about adding the CU Foundation to your estate planning, contact the CU BoulderAdvancement Team.