2022 Fall/Winter Highlights of Hope

PHILANTHROPY
A decade of support: Inside
Jeffery Roberts’ passion for
biomedical research
Jeffery Roberts remembers saying
goodbye to Grand Rapids. As he prepared
to further his studies in Chicago, he
thought he was leaving a city that had
finished growing. Thirty-five years later, he
returned to a dramatically different place
— one thriving with educational, medical
and scientific discovery. The city had not
just reinvented itself, Roberts said, it had
refocused on helping humanity.
Classical training in the fine arts combined
with degrees in architecture, fashion and
interior design led him on a path to start his
own full-service design firm, Jeffery Roberts
Design. His return to Grand Rapids brought
new opportunities to engage with the city,
including a tour of Van Andel Institute.
“I was invited to the building to tour the labs
and get a feel for the Institute’s work, when
all of a sudden, I just started thinking ‘this is
a cause for me,’” Roberts said.
Roberts has directly supported that cause
for more than a decade, becoming a
fervent supporter of VAI through donations,
sponsorships, event organizing and
volunteering. His support extends beyond
donations, as he wants to be involved as
often as possible.
“I realize that my passion and talent can
be used to further support the Institute,
so I have to use that gift,” Roberts said.
He’s even helped organize events from
the ground up, playing a key role in
the development of Building Hope, an
architecture and design focused fundraising
event. Regardless of how busy he may be
in his professional life, Roberts always has
time for VAI.
“In our lives, we have to be aware of the
balance of our purpose within society and
our personal responsibility for well-being,”
Roberts said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve
learned to focus on using the talents I’ve
been given to make positive impacts on
the world.”
So much involvement can be tiring but
rewarding. A self-described introverted
extrovert, Roberts needs time to recharge
after large events. He chooses to focus on
the value of VAI’s work and the commitment
of other supporters, a combination that
always energizes him to stay involved.
That energy is also fueled by a personal
connection: when Roberts was a teenager,
his younger brother died from a rare form
of childhood cancer. A patient of St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, his brother
participated in treatment research, which
developed into an approved protocol
for other patients. Seeing the direct
impact of cancer research fueled Roberts
into a lifelong commitment to support
similar causes.
“Everyone can make a choice as to how
they give back,” Roberts said. “For me,
it’s about supporting institutions like VAI,
places that are working on research that
can deliver a better future for everyone.”
Roberts is committed to ensuring that
future by continuously looking for ways to
get involved with VAI. Although his personal
connection to cancer means it will always
remain a focus, he’s recently shifted his
interest to VAI’s metabolism research and
education initiatives. These are causes
that are becoming important in his own
life, Roberts said, and he’s excited to learn
more about their development.
“Looking back at the happenings of the last
decade, you can see a clear acceleration
in terms of research and education,”
Roberts said. “You start to think ‘what is
the next generation going to do, how will
this success continue?’ You can’t help but
get excited about it, and I hope to continue
playing a small part through my support.”
“Everyone can make a choice as to how they give back. For me, it’s
about supporting institutions like VAI, places that are working on
research that can deliver a better future for everyone.”
— Jeffery Roberts
26 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS OF HOPE