William Pagen ’46

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The way William Pagen tells it, his two and a half decades of support, dedication and involvement at UCLA have more to do with his penchant for volunteering than with any grand philanthropic vision. “I’m always the type who volunteers for everything,” he explains.

But those who know Pagen also know that self-effacement is an intrinsic part of his character. While he has worked small miracles in his quiet, unassuming way, he has never been one to flaunt his contributions or seek the limelight. He understands the effectiveness of gentleness and courtesy when there’s a job to be done, and at the same time he’s orchestrating great enterprises, he’s making friends.

Out in the community, he has given freely of his time and resources for many years, particularly to health-related causes and institutions. He has served as a trustee of the St. John’s Hospital Foundation and a director of the John D. French Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as a charter member of the Research Council of the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation. He is a trustee of the California Museum of Science and Industry and an active member of the Los Angeles County Small Craft Harbor Commission – a reflection, no doubt, of his love for yachting.

At UCLA, Pagen’s participation has substantially advanced the university’s academic mission and enhanced its facilities and it has provided resources that will contribute to its continuing growth and maturation.

Ironically, however, Pagen almost didn’t attend the university. Fresh out of Beverly Hills High School, where he was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1988, he went to work at a mine near Bishop, California. He earned 25 cents an hour and spent evenings and weekends handling the bookkeeping and accounting. Upon returning to Los Angeles, he nearly enrolled in USC’s cinematography program but at the last minute changed his mind and came to UCLA to study accounting and banking instead. Photography became his hobby.

Pagen’s assistance came in many forms over the years – time, leadership, expertise, counsel, introductions, and gifts. Some of his most important work has been through his participation in the UCLA Foundation. From its earliest beginnings, Pagen was there to help launch the university’s private fundraising program. A member of the Board of Trustees since 1969, he served as its president from 1975-78 and then as chairman from 1978-80. During his years at the helm, Pagen left a lasting mark on the Foundation through his role in designing its current fiscal structure.

When the university needed leadership for its first major capital campaign, The UCLA Campaign, Pagen stepped forward once again. He served in the cabinet as national vice chairman and chaired the steering committee for the College of Letters and Science, directing substantial private gifts to the college where he himself was educated.

It was through this association that Pagen and his wife, Bobbe, became aware of the college’s difficulties in recruiting top graduate students. Because graduate student quality is essential to faculty recruitment, it was imperative that he situation be remedied. As trustees of the Edwin W. Pauley Foundation, in 1988 the Pagens approved a $5 million gift to establish the Edwin W. Pauley Foundation Graduate Fellowship Fund in the college. The gift, one of the largest private commitments to graduate studies in the history of American higher education, put The UCLA Campaign over its $300 million goal and attracted substantial contributions from other donors. In time, the fund will support 10 to 12 Pauley Fellows a year.

That kind of dedication and foresight – recognizing a pressing need and responding to it – has characterized Pagen’s role at UCLA from the start. His commitment to higher education, his generosity, integrity, honesty and, of course, his fondness for volunteering have touched countless people over the years and in the process have helped shape UCLA into a world-class institution. As one supporter observed, “I can think of no other person who has devoted so much of his life to making this campus better, and who takes so much pride in its accomplishments.”

Pagen, typically, is more modest. “It’s hard for me to say no to anything that’s as worthwhile as helping people become educated,” he explains.