Benefactors Hail Newest College Achievement
(Spring 2000 Newsletter)
The late real estate developer Fritz B. Burns established
a foundation in 1955 to engage in a wide-variety of philanthropic
activity. During his life and after his death, the Foundation
has made substantial gifts for education, hospitals, Catholic
religious associations, social welfare agencies and many other
worthy endeavors. The generosity of the Burns Foundation has
made possible the existence of two other buildings on campus:
Blessed Junipero Serra Hall and St. Bernard Hall.
Mr. W.K. "Ken" Skinner, who worked with Mr.
Burns in the construction industry for more than 50 years,
remarked that one of his favorite hobbies is to compare an
artist's renderings of a building before a project, with the
actual building after the project. "I have found predominately
that the artist's renderings are quite embellished and the
actual facility does not turn out. But this facility surpasses
the artist's renderings" - one of only three times in
more than 50 years has he found this to occur. "I am
quite certain," he said, "that this building will
last for many, many years and will produce many scholars in
the future."
Since 1973, the Weingart Foundation has made grants of
more than $440 million to a variety of community agencies
serving the people of Southern California. In its last fiscal
year, the Weingart Foundation continued its mission to build
stronger, healthier communities with 585 grants that totaled
nearly $54 million dollars. Previously, the Foundation had
made several generous gifts to the College's financial aid
program so that financially needy students may attend here.
President Fred J. Ali, who formerly served as Executive
Director of Covenant House California, stated: "This
college is especially unique and is a college and a program
that we are certainly honored to be a part of. Your commitment
to educational excellence, a strong liberal arts education,
is truly something to be admired. We are very pleased to be
a part of this effort and we look forward to playing a continuing
role as you continue to develop this fine campus. We congratulate
you on your commitment and dedication to this wonderful mission
and vision and your commitment to a continuation of educational
excellence on this campus."
The Hilton Foundation was founded in 1944 by the man
whose name has become synonymous with hotels. Mr. Conrad Hilton
died in 1979, leaving the bulk of his estate to the Foundation
and a Fund, which have grown to include assets of $1.7 billion
and annual gifts for charitable projects of $30 million per
year. The Foundation has endeavored to alleviate the suffering
of the world's most disadvantaged, with a special emphasis
on children and support for the work of Roman Catholic Sisters.
The Hilton Foundation, through its generosity over the
years, has made possible not only the construction of this
building, but also St. Augustine Classroom Building and St.
Bernardine Library. Mrs. Marge Brownstein, Senior Program
Officer, said that "were Conrad Hilton alive today, I
know he would be pleased to see that your college nurtures
not only intellectual growth but spiritual growth as well.
In his last will, he said that charity is the virtue which
unites men and inspires their noblest efforts. Our Foundation
takes pride in being part of the noble effort known as Albertus
Magnus Science Hall."
Dr. Smith distinguished himself in the field of medicine
for more than fifty years. He helped establish the Beverly
Hills Clinic, where he was the personal physician to some
of the most important people in the entertainment and financial
industry. Before retiring from active medical practice in
1992, Dr. Smith was associated with St. John's Hospital in
Santa Monica, as both a member of the staff and of the board
of trustees. He has been a member of the Thomas Aquinas College
Board of Governors since 1989, and Chairman since 1991. (See
profile on page 6.)
Dr. Smith was proud to see the College pay tribute to
St. Albert the Great, one who led "an amazingly active
life, as teacher, administrator and bishop." St. Albert,
he noted, was so infused with sound theology and scientific
and philosophical learning that he was called the "wonder"
of his age. Thanks to St. Albert, he said, the Western world
became convinced of the value and need for scientific pursuits.
And thanks to our donors, he continued, this new building
will "help our students as they struggle with the complex
challenges posed by today's scientific advances."
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