athletic Development
Pride in What’s Inside Lisa and Douglas Goldman Aim for Excellence
By Anton Malko
W
hen the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Plaza was officially dedicated on Oct. 4, 2012, visitors to California Memorial Stadium were already enjoying the stunning new space outside the west wall of the historic stadium given the start of football season one month earlier.
The plaza is the latest – and largest –gift to Cal from this San Francisco couple, but it is the totality of the Goldmans’ support for the University that has been most stunning. Their commitment to Cal speaks to something bigger than any one gift. Each donation they make to the University is intended to echo and amplify the school’s eternal quest for excellence. It’s an ambition that defines Cal’s stature among higher institutions of learning and a value the Goldmans believe must be sustained by everyone in the Cal community. “The plaza is wonderful and it sits upon a magnificent highperformance center,” Doug Goldman said. “These structures can be beautiful, they can inspire, but that’s just part of the equation. It’s what happens inside and in proximity to those places that’s most important. It requires constant attention and nurturing. “ Ideals of excellence might be lofty and difficult to define, but Lisa and Doug Goldman have made it their mission to articulate them through their philanthropy. And while their capacity to give may be seemingly boundless, it has always been focused. In addition to its support for Cal Athletics and the UC
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Berkeley community, the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund has provided significant support to a broad range of initiatives that spring from core values around civil liberties, education and literacy, health and recreation, and the environment. The Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund was first established in 1992 as a private foundation committed to providing support for charitable organizations that enhance society. Via their foundation, the Goldmans have made over 200 gifts to Cal over the past 20 years totaling in excess of $21 million. Their donations range from support for a variety of sports within Intercollegiate Athletics — including golf, basketball, football and tennis— to myriad academic grants, including schools (such as the Goldman School of Public Policy, which is named for Doug’s parents, and the Haas School of Business, which is named for his grandfather), colleges (Letters & Sciences’ new Big Ideas curriculum was recently funded by them), libraries (Bancroft, Tien East Asian Library), associations (including scholarships for multiple students annually), and other University programs. Since 2010 alone, the Goldmans’ support has addressed more than 20 areas of need inside and outside of athletics. These initiatives have set a strong foundation for donor support throughout Cal Athletics heading into 2013. Doug said that the support he and Lisa have offered is designed to assist Cal in its pursuit of excellence “no matter what