Written by Rachel Farrell | Posted October 2024

Pete Bernard (ENG’88) is a dedicated father, a respected CEO, a renowned leader in tech, and—most importantly—a proud Terrier. A former Microsoft executive, he is the founder of a technology practice, EDGECELSIOR; executive director of an AI nonprofit, tinyML Foundation; and an expert member of the World Economic Forum’s AI Governance Alliance.

And yet, Bernard still makes time for Boston University. In addition to belonging to the 1839 Society, he serves on the BU Alumni Council, participates in the BU College of Engineering’s mentorship program, and volunteers for BU Hillel. He also made time for this interview on what he loves about BU—and why he gives back.

At BU, you’re both a generous donor and an active volunteer. What motivates you to give back?

I’ve always been interested in giving back to the organizations I’m a part of; my parents were the same way. I’ve held leadership positions in Seattle’s Jewish community, and I was president of the synagogue here [in Bellevue, Washington]. I got involved in with BU through the College of Engineering and then with Hillel, which was a cool intersection of my BU interests and the Jewish community. Now, I lead a nonprofit where I rely on volunteers to do things. I appreciate when people raise their hand to help, because it’s the only way to really get things done.

Why did you decide to come to BU?

Interestingly, BU was one of the very few universities at the time that had a combined computer science and electrical engineering program. I wanted to learn about hardware and software. And the fact that it was in Boston was pretty cool. Now that I’m involved with academia from around the world [through my nonprofit], I appreciate BU and its place in the world. It’s pretty special.

What are some of your favorite memories from BU?

I played music, and I had a band in Boston. At BU, we used to rehearse in the basement of this apartment building, and we played at parties. It was great: engineering by day, rock n’ roll by night.

My roommates, who I lived with off campus for three years, became my best friends. We still talk all the time, even though we’re thousands of miles apart. One of them is a professor at BU. He never left.

During my senior year, I was president of the student body. It was a lot of fun. It taught me about management and leaders and the value of community. I think leadership development is one of those nebulous things that you have to experience to really get, and I think BU gave me a lot of skills in that area.

Your daughter is a junior at BU. How did you convince her to become a Terrier?

Well, she’s a National Honor Society student and is a much more talented person than me. So, she had a lot of choices for college, including BU. BU has a cool fine arts program. When we visited, she got a great tour of the College of Fine Arts from the head of the visual arts department. I was impressed, and she was impressed. They have some incredible facilities there.

Now, she’s painting major, and it’s exciting to see her enjoy BU. I’ve always been impressed with how BU keeps updating itself. It stays very current. It doesn’t just sit back and let ivy grow over it.

What value have you gained from staying engaged with BU?

I hope I’m helping some folks get some direction and some guidance and some support. One of the things I’m passionate about is mentorship. At Microsoft, I trained a lot of mentors, and I was a mentor myself. It’s a discipline, frankly. You learn how to be a good mentor. And I think every young person should be given the opportunity to have mentors. I help fund a program at Hillel around mentorship and I’m also part of the College of Engineering’s mentorship program.

I know it helps them, but it also helps me, because I feel like I’m imparting some wisdom or advice—or at least just giving them someone to talk to. I think that’s super important. You want to feel like you’re doing something to help complete the circle. I get a lot out of it.

What might you say to other alumni to get them involved in BU?

I just try to model behavior and tell people what I’m doing. For me, it’s meaningful when people come at it from different perspectives or different stages of life. But it’s not hard to raise your hand and get involved. I always tell people it’s super easy and doesn’t take much time or money. People are sometimes intimidated. But if you gave $50, that would be great. It adds up. Or sign up to be a mentor. Do something.

Learn more about the 1839 Society

Editor’s note: Interview has been edited for length and clarity.