Coming to campus for the first time can be overwhelming — the impressive buildings, throngs of students, the academic reputation. Eventually, Berkeley students find their place, and sometimes, they also find each other.
Such was the case for S. Allan and Marguerite Johnson, alumni and Cal parents who have been stalwart partners with the campus for decades. Marguerite ’60 and Al ’62, M.B.A. ’69 met in Criminology 1A — a course required for her social welfare degree that he took on a friend’s recommendation. Attracted to Marguerite from his first glimpse in class, Al invited her out for coffee. One of the couple’s early outings was a field trip to San Quentin for a meal served by inmates. Marguerite recalls, “That was one of our first big dates — in prison.”
For college, Al sought a contrast from his all-boys boarding school in Ojai. Berkeley fit the bill; it was big, coed, and offered a breadth of subjects. Marguerite applied on her older brother’s advice. Captivated by Cal’s physical beauty, she found a community at Stern Hall, an all-women’s residence, and on campus. “It just didn’t seem like a big, big school to me,” she says. “It was a lovely experience.”
Both were motivated to give back to Berkeley and have volunteered for several campaign committees and advisory boards, including Al’s service as a UC Berkeley Foundation trustee. Over time, the Johnsons’ philanthropic support has included significant individual contributions to the Haas School of Business, the School of Social Welfare, and the University Library.
Last October, they made their largest gift yet: $10 million to be shared equally between each of those units as well as with the Chancellor’s Impact Fund, which addresses pressing priorities on campus. Significantly, the gift is unrestricted in terms of how the funds are spent. The Johnsons’ long association with university leaders inspired trust that their investment would be used wisely. Al says, “They have the ideas of where the money should go, so let’s let them decide.”
For instance, the School of Social Welfare can continue renovating historic Haviland Hall to better serve its students. The University Library used its share to launch a campaign to complete the Center for Connected Learning in Moffitt Library, an undergraduate “collider space” of studios, project areas, and classrooms designed for active learning. The portion of the gift for Berkeley-Haas provides outgoing Dean Rich Lyons and his successor with transitional funds for new initiatives.
“Al and Marguerite are selfless alumni who readily contribute their time, talents, and treasure to the campus,” says Vice Chancellor for University Development and Alumni Relations Julie Hooper. “Because of their generosity, future Cal Bears will also experience the greatness of a Berkeley education.”
On the occasion of the university’s 150th birthday, the Johnsons have demonstrated that dedicated partners can make a transformational impact. “We just felt like the time was right, and we wanted to give to Berkeley,”
Al says. “We gave what we could.” ■