Yoshie Kadota ’37

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Not long after Yoshie Kadota began a career in industrial chemistry, her plans and hopes were almost destroyed by a succession of disastrous events. Her career was rudely interrupted when she and her family were interned during World War II. Then, the war over and only a few days into a new job, a terrible explosion severely injured her and left her almost blind for eight years. Miraculously recovering her sight, she began work as an analytical chemist with Aerojet General, an association that was to last 20 years. She also became the first woman to hold an elective office in the American Chemical Society’s Southern California section.

But it was in extraordinary service to her university for which Kadota is specially honored. When she graduated from UCLA, there was no formal alumni organization, and she voluntarily maintained an address file of alumni of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. In 1980, she almost single-handedly organized the UCLA chemists Association for which she has faithfully served as secretary ever since. She has brought people to meet and work together for the benefit of UCLA and contributed significantly to the success of a major fundraising effort to endow the Saul Winstein Chair in Chemistry. A colleague declares, “It is seriously to be doubted that Yoshie ever turned down any task or plea for assistance for UCLA or the department.”

She has continued to work unselfishly for her university for many than 40 years without expectation of reward or recognition. She never seeks the limelight, but quietly carries out her responsibilities and personifies the commitment to UCLA to which all alumni might aspire.