Ilene and Stanley Gold
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Winning Gold
Scholarship Supports Life-Changing Overseas Studies
By Pamela J. Johnson
Cherry blossom petals covered a glassy lake. Skyscrapers towered over
16th century Buddhist temples. Neon lights blazed across the night sky.
Shortly after Courtney Heizenrader’s arrival in Japan in the fall of 2003, she had fallen under its spell.
Thanks to a Gold Family Scholarship, Heizenrader was able to study at
Tokyo International University, where she became smitten by more than
Japanese aesthetics. At the campus in Saitama, she met her future
fiancé, fellow student, Yuji Haraguchi. The pair might have met a year
earlier, when he studied abroad at a college near Portland, Oregon —
her hometown.
Heizenrader was one of a few students that year to receive the annual
award, named for Stanley and Ilene Gold, who were newlyweds when
Stanley entered USC Law School in 1964. A USC trustee since 1993 and
now the board’s chairman, Stanley Gold also serves as a law school
councilor. He is chief executive officer of Shamrock Holdings, Inc., an
international investment company. Ilene Gold serves as a councilor of
USC College.
Recently, the Golds announced a generous leadership commitment to the
Tradition & Innovation initiative, which will further support the
College’s educational mission and priorities.
After Heizenrader graduated in 2004 with majors in history and East
Asian languages and cultures, she returned to Japan and began teaching
high school English. After a spring wedding, the couple plans to return
to the Pacific coast, where Heizenrader wants to attend law school.
During her time abroad, Heizenrader’s host “mother” taught her how to
wear a kimono. The family knew no English, so Heizenrader, who spoke
some Japanese, became fluent. Her appreciation for the language and
culture continues to grow.
“Everything here is beautiful,” the 23-year-old said from Japan. “I
find it an interesting mix of very old and traditional and very new and
modern. When I go to Tokyo, I feel at home.”
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