The UCLA Medal: Top Honors for Alumna Rachel Robinson
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VOLUME THIRTEEN | NUMBER THREE | FALL 2009 US Postage The UCLA Medal: Top Honors for Alumna Rachel Robinson When Rachel Robinson ’42 accepted her work since 1973, when—just a year street for him. It had to be something the UCLA Medal from Chancellor Gene after her husband’s untimely death at active and alive—something in the area Block at UCLA Day this past May, she age 53—she founded the Jackie Robinson of education.” sealed her own brilliant legacy alongside Foundation (JRF). that of her late husband, pioneering The name of Jackie Robinson, who Bruin athlete and professional baseball In a UCLA Day interview, Rachel, now famously broke the color barrier in Major player Jackie Robinson. The award is the 86, recalls being determined to “pull League Baseball in 1947 as a player university’s highest honor and a tribute myself out of that deep hole” to push with the Brooklyn Dodgers, had already to Rachel’s lifetime of dedication to Jackie’s legacy forward. “It had to be become a symbol of the nonviolent civil education and social activism, especially more than just naming a building or a rights movement. To honor his values and cement his legacy, Rachel set a bold mission for JRF: to provide comprehensive scholarships and support services to minority students in higher education. “We don’t just give them money,” Rachel explains. Networking, mentoring, community service projects and leadership development are all built into the program. At UCLA, JRF has awarded dozens of scholarships in the College of Letters and Science and the professional schools, as well as postgraduate fellowships in the David Geffen School of Medicine. Visit “Among our many accomplished alumni,” Chancellor Gene Block said upon presenting the UCLA Medal, “perhaps none is more committed to empowering others to live better lives than Rachel professor Ann Carlson. Robinson. We are especially grateful for her tireless dedication to provide scholarships and leadership training, which has enabled so many deserving students to pursue their dreams.” showcasing UCLA’s brightest stars. Rachel was clearly moved by “such a stunning tribute. I would never, ever have anticipated it,” she says. “To receive this award from the university that I love and impact Bruin Scholars Initiative. respect so much is very, very exciting and uplifting.” And Bruin 208715_WP_News_r1.indd 3 11/13/09 3:30 PM President’s Message Kathleen Flanagan My membership in Women & Philanthropy BSI gift made by Women & Philanthropy grew from a personal goal to help students member Rica Orszag in this newsletter. attend UCLA and get the most out of their time on campus. By supporting At the same time, UCLA leadership young scholars, I hoped to create for them recognizes the need to expand partnerships the same opportunities that a high-quality in the community to prepare students education provided for me. from all backgrounds to qualify for admission. With the Los Angeles On a far greater scale, UCLA is an Unified School District, for example, engine of opportunity for the people of the university established the innovative California, especially for students from UCLA Community School, a K-12 low-income families and underrepresented program that opened this fall in the Pico- groups. Access to UCLA often means Union neighborhood. a fast track to positive socio-economic mobility, creating a cascade of benefits for To advance UCLA’s core values of equal our students, our state and our world. access, broad diversity and excellence— To help sustain broad access to UCLA, particularly in the face of state budget extend faculty scholarship and research. the university has undertaken the Bruin cuts and student fee increases—Women Wherever your philanthropic interests Scholars Initiative (BSI) to double the & Philanthropy plays a pivotal role. Our at UCLA lie, I invite you to join us in endowment for scholarship and fellowship members open doors for aspiring students. support of the university—an engine of support. You can read about one inspiring We enable innovative programs. And we opportunity for the benefit of all. Women & Philanthropy at UCLA recognizes and promotes women’s leadership and philanthropy on the UCLA campus. BOARD MEMBERS Marianne Murphy Lynn Danielson Jane Lopatt Julie Strasser Dixon Patt Oppenheim Betty Denitz Eileen Ludwick Marilee Unruh Lena Astin Phyllis Parvin Lisa Feintech Val Maisner Dorothy Vinski Sue Baumgarten Rue Pine Leslie Flesch Madonna Matheson Patricia Waldron Peggy Bloomfield Astrid Preston Jacqueline Fogel Elizabeth Mc Laughlin Tamar Wilson Patty Boyle Rita Pynoos Renee Fraser Nancy McGinnis Dee Winokur Lya Cordova-Latta Susan Rice Marjorie Friedman Marilyn McIntyre Adele Yellin Karen Dabby Karin Rodgers Rose Gilbert Jeannette Moore Sandy Davis Maxine Rosenfeld Harriett Gold Sherie Morrison Fereshteh Diba Rita Rothman Ann Goldberg Lenore Neidorf Produced by Naomi Ellison Monica Salinas Barbara Goldenberg Judith Nelson Women & Philanthropy Kathleen Flanagan Dorothy Salkin Vicky Goodman Carol Newton at UCLA External Affairs Audree Fowler Shirley Shapiro Julia Gouw Tracy Nojiri-Isenberg Tricia Grey Toby Waldorf Rosalyn Heyman Harlyne Norris Executive Director Coretta Harris Ruth Watanabe Roslyn Holt Swartz Rica Orszag Nancy Sacks Lois Haytin Sheila Weisman Janis Horn Marolyn Peterson Agi Hirshberg Gloria Werner Ada Horwich Ruth Ann Poppa Director Marcia Howard Marion Wilson Freya Ivener Patricia Rosenburg Jasmine Payne Betty Huang Linda Janger Nancy Sanders Mel Johnson CIRCLE MEMBERS Louise Jones Kathryn Sanders- Associate Director Elaine Krown Klein Lucia Kagan Platnick Sandy Levin Betsy Knapp Dana Baldwin Glorya Kaufman Jacqueline Schwartz Joanne Knopoff Kristin Barens Sally Kay Lane Sherman Senior Writer Valorie Kondos-Field Barbara Bergman Suzanne Kayne Marilyn Silva-Lund Aaron Zarrow Carolbeth Korn Sara Binder Charlene Kornblum Victoria Simms Mrs. Harry Lenart Carol Block Linda Kornfeld Shelley Singer Art Director Bea Mandel Doris Chasin Jacqueline Kubicka Rae Lee Siporin Elise Cozzi Janet Marott Jan Cloyde Elaine Lasnik-Broida Amy Smith Jane McCarthy Carol Collins Lauren Leichtman Anne-Marie Spataru Merle Measer Roberta Conroy Judith Levin Karen Sraberg Joy Monkarsh Dodie Danchick Lena Longo Sharalyn Staglin 2 208715_WP_News_r1.indd 4 11/13/09 3:30 PM Her Kind of Town Dean Teri Schwartz “As a feature film producer, I loved to global diversity, social responsibility “Beaches,” “Nuts” and many others. create and build,” says Teri Schwartz, and technological innovation that will Her new position at the helm of TFT “is new dean of the UCLA School of prepare our students to become leaders an extraordinary opportunity,” Teri says. Theater, Film and Television (TFT). across the entertainment and emerging At its best, she posits, “A great school “Now serving as the dean of one of the media industries.” takes on the big questions of the time and great film and theater schools in the helps students build stories that nurture, world, I look forward to helping create The award-winning producer-turned- enlighten and entertain—and hopefully a vibrant vision and interdisciplinary educator joins the TFT team having inspire change for a better world.” center around humanistic storytelling, served as the inaugural dean of the School of Film and Television at Loyola Marymount University, where she became known for her emphasis on diversity, a humanistic point-of-view, and international connectedness in the film community. Teri earned a bachelor’s in English from UCLA in 1971 and a master’s in film from the University of London in 1973. She went on to become a prolific and successful filmmaker, production partner with Goldie Hawn, and a creative force behind popular films such as “Sister Act,” The Essential Scientist Dean Victoria Sork “There were not many women in science basis of disease, biotic response to global but the pragmatic scientist reasons, “You early in my career,” says Victoria Sork, the warming, and so much more —laying the should always invest in your areas of newly appointed dean of UCLA’s Division foundations for understanding human excellence. Many of our specializations of Life Sciences. “I decided that if I got in health issues and environmental problems are ranked in the top 10 nationally. I am the door, I had to keep it open for others.” facing our planet.” confident that we can work together and make something that is even better.” As the first woman to head a science She assumes the deanship in the midst division in the UCLA College of Letters of a challenging economic environment, and Science, Victoria now wants to swing that door wide open: “I am very committed to finding creative ways to diversify our faculty with more women and underrepresented minorities. I strongly believe that excellence and diversity go hand-in-hand.” A pioneering environmental biologist and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, Victoria will lead the advancement of a broad array of academic disciplines. “The life sciences represent the essential sciences of the 21st century,” she explains. “Our work addresses critically important, socially relevant topics such as the genetic 2 3 208715_WP_News_r1.indd 5 11/13/09 3:30 PM A Daughter’s Tribute Rica Orszag “I grew up hearing from “We wanted to honor my father and him about UCLA,” make it easier for current UCLA physics she continues. Her and engineering students to excel,” father studied physics Rica explains. “At the same time, I love at UCLA, earning a the idea of supporting my own alma bachelor’s in 1953 and mater.” Rica earned a bachelor’s degree in a master’s in 1955. communications at UCLA and went on “My dad joked that he to serve in the Clinton administration’s attended when there press office from 1993 to 1997. Now she were still just four manages her own public relations firm and buildings on campus.” lives near campus, where she “is grateful to be getting more involved through Women Norton recalls, “As a & Philanthropy.” Norton Rodman (l) and Ellen Rodman (r) with Bruin student graduate student, it Ruby Chung ’09, the first recipient of the Norton Rodman was a tough grind.