| George '46 and MaryLou '52, '94 Boone and family |
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Inspiring a Village
Located on Catalina Island as part of
the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, the George and MaryLou
Boone Center for Science and Environmental Leadership was established
in 2004 with a generous lead gift from George and MaryLou Boone. Two
years later, the College is ready to begin the expansion of the
project. Complete with new island cottages and refurbished facilities,
the center will provide critical accommodations for leadership
programs, academic retreats, visiting faculty and outreach programs.
Grading and preparation of the site will begin in September. Each
cottage will be completely constructed on a lot in Long Beach Harbor
and then transported by barge to Catalina Island, where they will be
placed on foundations and finished on-site. In addition, the
landscaping plan will include nature trails and natural habitat gardens.
A Family Legacy Continues
Wrigleys Support Environmental Conservation and Education
For four generations, the Wrigley family’s involvement with USC College
has helped build one of the most innovative marine and environmental
science programs in the nation. The College paid tribute to the family
in 2005—a year that marked the 40th anniversary of the Philip K.
Wrigley Marine Science Center and the 10th anniversary of the USC
Wrigley Institute.
A Legacy Begins
The Wrigley family’s passion for Catalina Island dates back to 1919,
when chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. purchased controlling
interest in the company which owned the island. Over the years, he and
his family dedicated themselves to preserving and enhancing its natural
beauty.
When William’s son, Philip Knight Wrigley, took the helm following his
father’s death, he established the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy, a
nonprofit corporation to protect Catalina’s ecological heritage. In
1965, he dedicated 5.5 acres of land to USC to create an island marine
science center. The center quickly emerged as the heart of USC’s marine
and terrestrial investigations.
Third in a line of Catalina patrons, William Wrigley carried on his
family’s conservationist legacy and support for USC projects. In 1995,
he and his wife, Julie, provided the capital to establish the USC
Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, helping the marine science
center expand its focus beyond marine biology to a broad range of
environmental issues.
The Commitment Continues
Today, the family’s involvement continues to transform the Wrigley
Institute into a state-of-the-art research laboratory and teaching
facility.
“From very early on, the Wrigley family’s reverence for our natural
world laid the foundation for what the Wrigley Institute was to become.
Their unwavering contributions ensure USC College is a premier destination for
interdisciplinary, socially-relevant research on the environment,” said
Joseph Aoun, dean of USC College.
Alison Wrigley Rusack, the great-granddaughter of William Wrigley Jr.,
and her husband, Geoff, recently gave a generous gift to establish the
Rusack Family House as a part of the George and MaryLou Boone Center
for Science and Environmental Leadership. The cottage will provide
much-needed accommodations for visiting faculty who come to Catalina to
conduct research or attend scientific conferences.
Paxson H. Offield, the great-grandson of William Wrigley Jr. who serves
as the chairman and CEO of the Santa Catalina Island Co., was
instrumental in establishing the Wrigley Institute’s fisheries
management program in 2000. His commitment to marine conservation also
motivated him to endow a professorship in fisheries ecology in 2003.
“I thought it would be a real shame if we put together an entire marine
sciences research center only to find there are no more fish in the
ocean. And that’s the direction we’re headed,” said Offield. “The
Wrigley needed someone who could train the future leaders of fisheries
biology and policy.” The Paxson H. Offield Professor of Fisheries
Ecology is currently held by College biologist Dennis Hedgecock.
Descendants of the Wrigley family continue to play important advisory
roles in College affairs. Phil Hagenah, great-grandson of William
Wrigley Jr., is an active member of the Wrigley Institute’s Advisory
Board, where he helps guide the institute in bringing its message to a
broader public audience.
“The Wrigley family and USC College have together created a vision for
Catalina Island and its value to science and society that is truly
ahead of its time,” said Delta Murphy, chair of the Wrigley Advisory
Board. “Four generations of this generous and thoughtful family have
committed themselves to this common goal. We are grateful for their
efforts.”
Chip, Brock '83, Patsy '58 and Scott Dewey |
The Dewey Family House
For the Dewey family, Catalina Island is much more than a natural
sanctuary and the home of groundbreaking environmental science
research. It is the place where family memories are born.
Patsy Ziegler Dewey talks fondly about the times she and her late
husband, Steven (B.S., ’60), along with their three sons, spent
vacations at their home in Avalon. The boys would ride their bikes
along the isthmus up the steep hill to Avalon, hunt for Easter eggs on
the golf course, and watch fireworks from the Casino on the Fourth of
July. Her sons’ first jobs were hauling garbage and carrying luggage in
their wagons from the seaplanes and boats.
“Catalina is a little jewel that sits 26 miles across the sea. It’s a
very special place for our family,” said Patsy, a USC alumna who earned
her B.S. in education with a minor in geology in 1958. Her sons Brock
(B.S., ’83), Chip and Scott have all been involved in the USC community
and “simply love USC,” said Patsy.
Her family’s affection for Catalina and the university prompted Patsy
to make a $1 million gift to establish the Dewey Family House.
The new cottage will house professors and faculty who conduct research
at the College’s Wrigley Institute and be a part of the Boone Center.
“We saw the Wrigley Institute grow from the very beginning and we
wanted to contribute in some way to help it become a world-class
facility. I think the Boone Center will allow the College to draw even
more professors of high caliber,” said Patsy, who is the CEO of Dewey
Services, Inc.
The Pasadena-based company is a leader in using environmentally
friendly methods of pest control and was started by Patsy’s
father-in-law, Ray M. Dewey, in 1929.
Patsy’s sons are currently involved in the business, including company
Vice-President Brock Dewey, who is also a member of the Wrigley
Institute Advisory Board. Brock says his current passion for
environmental issues stems from the many summers he spent diving and
fishing every day as a child on Catalina. He and his wife Michelle
(B.A., ’87) continue to visit the island every year with their two
children.
“We are pleased that this gift will have a permanent impact on USC
College and the island,” said Patsy. “And we wanted to do this for our
grandchildren. One of them caught his first fish on Catalina.”
And so, the next generation of memories are born.
Elizabeth '84 and Robert '50 Plumleigh
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Plumleighs Support Boone Center
As longtime members of the Trojan Family, Robert and Elizabeth
Plumleigh had heard of the USC College Wrigley Institute’s research
campus on Catalina Island. But a tour of the facility three years ago
made a lasting impression.
“It became clear to me that not enough people are aware of what is
going on at Catalina. There is truly remarkable science happening
here,” said Robert, who earned his bachelor’s degree in English
literature from USC College in 1950.
Seeing the Wrigley up-close motivated the Plumleighs to pledge $1
million to construct an island home as part of the new Boone Center.
One of four houses that currently exist as part of the center, the
Plumleigh house is regularly used by faculty and scholars who come to
the Wrigley to conduct research or attend conferences.
“We realized that these talented scientists need someplace to stay
other than student dormitories,” said Robert. “We’re hoping this will
become a Camp David of the West.”
The Plumleighs both play an active role in the governance of USC
College. Robert has been a member of the humanities Advisory Board for
five years and Elizabeth has served on the Wrigley Board for three
years.
“As a board member, I’ve gotten to be a part of all of the College’s
improvements during the past few years. It’s a very exciting time,”
said Elizabeth.
The Plumleighs met while he was a student at USC and Elizabeth was
attending nearby Immaculate Heart College. “I used to sneak into dances
to see her,” Robert recalled. They have been married for 55 years.
Elizabeth went on to earn a master’s degree in liberal arts from USC
College in 1984. Their daughter and son-in-law are graduates of USC and
their granddaughter currently attends the university.
The couple’s interest in the humanities spurred their involvement with
the College’s Master of Professional Writing program twelve years ago.
In addition to hosting poetry readings on campus, their support has
enabled the graduate program to offer some of Los Angeles’ most dynamic
classes in non-fiction, fiction, poetry, playwriting, and screen and
television writing.
“They have been invaluable advisers and friends to the College and we
are grateful for their support,” said College Dean Joseph Aoun.
The Plumleighs also host pre-game brunches and post-game dinners for
USC’s spirit groups the Song and Yell Leaders. And they still visit
campus a couple of times every week to attend musical concerts, theater
productions and other events.
“Above anything else, we thoroughly enjoy the friendly nature of the
campus and interacting with the students,” said Elizabeth. “The College
is an amazing place.” |
