May 19, 2026

SWATI and vijay advani pledge one-million to foothill college respiratory therapy program

LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA -- Long time community college champions and donors to the Foothill-De Anza Foundation, Swati and Vijay Advani, have pledged One million dollars over the next ten years to support students in the Foothill College Respiratory Therapy Program.

“We are grateful to Swati and Vijay for their generous commitment to our students’ education and training,” said Lee Lambert, Chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District.  “What an immense honor it is to have such support from our friends in the community particularly in bolstering our region’s health care infrastructure.  We look forward to welcoming the first cohort of Swati and Vijay Advani Respiratory Therapy Scholars!”

This generous pledge of support will provide qualified respiratory therapy students with resources to cover the cost of their program tuition, college fees, and books as well as a small cash grant to help with other expenses.  This cohort – nearly one-third of the students in the program – will have all their educational expenses paid throughout their two-year program. 

“Swati and Vijay’s extraordinary generosity will change the trajectory of our students’ lives. It’s the gift of economic mobility that will have generational impact,” said Kristina Whalen, President of Foothill College. “This investment reflects the very best of what is possible when philanthropy and public education come together with a shared commitment to equity, opportunity, and community well-being.”

The Advanis have also pledged to support all of the program’s second-year students with a grant to cover their exam preparation in advance of their licensing exams.

“This effort is very personal to me,” notes Swati Advani.  “As an asthmatic myself, I know how important good care can be, and I am honored to support a program that will serve future generations with pulmonary health issues. I look forward to serving on the Respiratory Therapy Advisory Committee and seeing the progress of students at Foothill College.”

“Swati and I have been associated with Foothill-De Anza for many years,” says Vijay Advani.  “We know that our support for respiratory therapy and local students has the potential to give this region an infinite return: Students graduate from a high-quality program, immediately get jobs in an important health sector, contribute to the local economy, and develop meaningful careers serving patients in their communities for decades to come.”

Foothill College’s two-year Respiratory Therapy program prepares students for an entry-level position as a registry-eligible graduate therapist in the high-tech health care field of respiratory care.  Respiratory therapists manage the ventilation of critically ill patients as well as provide acute and chronic care to patients with pulmonary disease. Therapists work with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in intensive care units and hospital floor care areas. They are involved in the treatment, management, and rehabilitation of patients with lung and heart problems. 

In addition to the Associate in Science in Respiratory Therapy, Foothill College offers a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care and a certificate program in pulmonology.  The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

To learn more about the Foothill-De Anza Foundation and Foothill College, please visit foundation.fhda.edu and foothill.edu.