Grubaugh Family
Kent Grubaugh (‘93, Finance) and Benjamin Grubaugh (Senior, Management/Entrepreneurship)
SDSU management junior, Ben Grubaugh (left) sits next to his dad, SDSU finance alum, Kent Grubaugh
Did your college experience influence your parenting style? If so, how?
Kent: Very much so. My experience at SDSU taught me that every person has the innate ability
to successfully create their own path in life. Persistence, patience, and perspective
is rewarded with successful outcomes. Strong ethics, both personal and business,
are key to achieving positive results. My parenting style has focused on celebrating
the individual skills, personality traits, and priorities of both of my sons. I have
encouraged Ben to be himself, develop his own path, and don’t let others define what
success means for him. I’ve encouraged him to focus on what he can control. This
is an important skill, even more so when facing the unique challenges of the pandemic.
We’ve also discussed the importance of developing a diverse network of friends and
connections that could be helpful as he establishes his own career path.
Did your dad’s education at SDSU inspire you to attend?
Ben: Definitely. While growing up over the years, I have observed the different ways and
approach to how my father navigates life. This has inspired me to live my life in
a similar way. Because of this, San Diego State was always my top school. I figured
that because my dad has had such a successful life and career (in my opinion) that
SDSU would be a great place for me to study. SDSU’s Fowler College of Business is,
and has been, one of the top business programs in the country. Given my dad obtained
a degree in business, I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I’m glad that I did so,
as I believe obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Fowler College will take me far in
my career.
How do you think your SDSU experience was different from Ben’s?
Kent: My experience at SDSU was very different from Ben’s experience. I worked full-time
while attending school, so I took all my classes at night. At the time, business
classes were impacted, so there was at least one semester when I couldn’t get into
the classes I needed. Because I worked full-time (had to financially put myself through
college), my social experience at SDSU was much different than Ben’s. He joined a
fraternity (AEPi), which has enabled him to create some wonderful, long-term relationships
and friendships. While I had a wonderful social time at SDSU, I didn’t have the same
opportunity as Ben. I lived off campus, while Ben has lived on campus for most of
his time at SDSU. Given my family’s financial situation when I attended SDSU, I had
to put myself through school. As a result of this experience, I made a personal commitment
to ensure that I was prepared to financially support Ben while he has been in school.
This has allowed him to have a much richer personal and social experience than I had
despite the pandemic.
When do you anticipate earning your bachelor’s degree?
Ben: I plan to earn my bachelor’s degree in May 2023.
