Students and staff of Chapala’s Instituto Tecnologico Superior (ITS) gathered Wednesday, May 23 to honor longtime lakeside resident and school patron Robert Kleffel on his designation as namesake of the institution’s auditorium.
Several dozen expat residents were also on hand to pay tribute to a cherished friend and role model for lakeside youth.
ITS director Morris Schwarzblat opened the ceremony, with an introduction to Kleffel and his wife Bonnie that focused on their enormous contributions to lakeside’s education community during 12 years of residence here.
The Kleffels not only figure among the technical college’s most staunch supporters, but have also helped found and sustain the “little blue school” for disabled children, mentored and given financial aid to many worthy students and served for eight years on the municipal government’s education board.
“This is a couple who has integrated into the community, learned the language, gained many friendships among Mexican people, understood our problems and always looked for ways to help,” Schwarzblat said. “Robert’s work in supporting and promoting this institute has been tremendous. He has set an example for our students with his deep commitment to social causes. It has been a privilege to have him serve on our board of trustees. Few people deserve such recognition.”
Friend and admirer Jim Tipton followed with a personal portrait reflecting Kleffel’s human side and lust for life. “He has a huge heart that matches his height. Our world is a much better place because of Robert Kleffel.”
When Bonnie Kleffel was called to the podium for off-the-cuff her remarks, she spoke about husband’s long-standing interest in fostering education programs even prior to their move to Mexico. He recalled his successful efforts to establish a satellite campus of the San Diego Community College to fulfill the needs of the community’s large Latino populace, a project he jokingly referred to as “No Mexican Left Behind.” She concluded with a heartfelt thank you to ITS, saying, “The dedication of this auditorium in his name is a great honor. I know what it means to him, and to me.”
Kleffel himself was then asked to reflect on the moment. He looked back to the days just after he and his wife settled in Ajijic when community leaders Aurora Michel, Dan McTavish and Stewart McCowan recruited him to help spearhead a fund-raising campaign to support construction of the ITS and the neighboring Conalep vocational high school. The group pulled in a 250,000 dollars for the development fund, expanding training options for the thousands of local students interested in pursuing careers that require skills in modern technology.
Even so, Kleffel remembers that the ITS first opened its doors to 400 students with only sparse furnishings and a barebone staff of six teachers. He himself was promptly roped in as a volunteer English teacher.
“I quickly learned a lot of Spanish: ¡Siéntate! ¡Cállate! (Sit down! Shut up!),” he said with a deep chuckle as the lead-in to several humorous anecdotes about the experience, delving into the human foibles of both teacher and pupils.
On a more serious note, Kleffel laid out his vision of the evolution of ITS from the point of view of an economist. “What this school is about is jobs, good jobs that change families, change their future and eventually change the entire community,” he said. “This school is the ‘stimulus package’ for our community,” he remarked, equating it with Stanford University as a generator for California’s Silicon Valley, and the productivity and wealth it brought about.
Showing modesty about his own accomplishments, Kleffel turned the tables. “You’ve probably noticed I’m tall, six foot eight, but there’s someone else who stands even taller,” he said, swiveling towards Schwarzblat. “He’s the driving engine for this school, for the young people who study here, and for the prosperous future of our community.”
After a round of enthusiastic applause, the audience filed out to the front door of the auditorium to witness the installation of a commemorative plaque reading, “The Instituto Tecnologico Superior de Chapala is honored to designate its auditorium in the name of Robert Kleffel for his work in favor of education in the Ribera de Chapala and outstanding participation as a member of the Board of Trustees of this institute.”