UCLA honors gifts of philanthropic alumni

By Dennis Lim Daily Bruin Contributor To honor one of the most
successful fund-raising ventures UCLA has ever undertaken ­
and to announce its next stage ­ administrators, alumni and
special guests were invited to a special conference on Friday
titled "Linking Frontiers of Knowledge."

The conference was meant to show donors to Campaign UCLA, the
university’s seven-year effort to raise private funds, where their
money is going.

Chancellor Albert Carnesale announced Friday that the campaign,
which originally set its goal of raising $1.2 billion by June 30,
2002, has already accomplished that goal and now plans to raise it
by another $400 million.

"To guarantee the excellence of UCLA and to raise money to meet
specific unmet needs, we have decided to announce our new goal of
raising $1.6 billion by the same date," Carnesale said. "This
venture will be the largest campaign ever taken by a public
university and the fourth largest among private and public
universities."

After lunch and a presentation at Covel Commons, UCLA buses
escorted alumni and guests to their choice of six lectures taught
by notable professors about their fields of study.

Lecture topics ranged from "Love, Sex and Marriage in the Middle
Ages" to "Reading the Genetic Human Blueprint."

After the lectures, participants were bussed to the base of
Janss Steps, where they gathered for a ceremony to dedicate the
re-naming of Janss Plaza to Wilson Plaza, in honor of Campaign UCLA
Chairman Bob Wilson.

Wilson and his wife Marion, both graduates of UCLA, have a long
tradition of donating or helping to raise millions of dollars for
the university. The couple has raised money for the schools of
medicine, law, dentistry, and athletics among many others.

The couple met while undergraduates at UCLA and all five of
their sons were born at the medical center.

"Bob and Marion often speak of their pride in UCLA," Carnesale
said at the dedication ceremony. "We don’t speak often enough about
our pride in them.

"So, to do just that, we will take this beautiful part of our
campus, and will dedicate it to two very beautiful people,"
Carnesale continued.

A giant plaque on the plaza at the base of the steps marks the
new name. Construction on a parking structure beneath the plaza had
closed off the space, but it was opened to the public winter
quarter last year.

"I suppose if someone were to ask me how I feel right now, I
would have to say overwhelmed," Bob said. "This is a real honor.
UCLA has done so much for both Marion and I, that this is the least
we could do to thank the university."

Alumni and guests then moved from Wilson Plaza to Collins Court
in the Wooden Center, for a special dinner and dance to conclude
the night.

Marion, who will serve as president of UCLA’s Women and
Philanthropy organization starting September, concluded the night
by saying the campaign’s accomplishment was not an end, but merely
a milestone in the history of UCLA.

"This is not over," Marion said. "This is just the beginning of
what we can do together as a great institution. We feel like the
university is a second home or family to us and we will continue to
do great things for the school and the community as long as we
possibly can."

Event participants were just as excited about the success.

"It’s a pretty incredible accomplishment," said Pradeep
Thiyanaratnam, a third-year applied math student and invited guest.
"They’ve raised so much money in such a short amount of time."