Southwestern Medical Perspectives Fall 2015

Page 64

75 YEARS OF VISION: THE LASTING GIFT

I

n 1998, the O’Donnell Foundation helped establish the Endowed Scholars Program

in Medical Science with a $25 million challenge grant. It inspired $35 million in additional donations — including $5 million each from the W.W. Caruth Jr. Foundation, the Virginia Murchinson Linthicum Trust and Southwestern Medical Foundation. While the Medical Scientist Training Program that Perot had funded was designed to attract top students, the Endowed Scholars Program was created to attract and retain the world’s best young faculty at the beginning of their careers. It offered a package of generous research support for a new faculty member’s first four years, as well as the opportunity to work side by side with Nobel-caliber mentors. The Endowed Scholars Program would prove extraordinarily valuable as many brilliant young men and women made the decision to continue their careers at the medical school. North Campus is today, and he looked at

and the brain. If you are convinced of it, you

me and said, “We’ll need this land one day.”

put your money into it.

SWMF: What remarkable insight.

SWMF: Brown and Goldstein?

O’DONNELL: I have thought about this a

O’DONNELL: They were exceptionally im-

lot. When recruiting talent – dollars, space

portant during this period, no question. But I

and colleagues are all critical. But if you don't

think what’s so marvelous is that they contin-

have the space, you're in trouble. Solving that

ue to do important work and are incredibly

is the number one problem. We would have

valuable to the school. That’s our roots,

been landlocked like so many other medical

and we’re still getting the benefit. I asked

schools. We are able to recruit and grow

Joe to join the Board of Cooper Aerobics

today because we’ve got the land.

Center. He is quiet, but people really listen

SWMF: Anything you can share about Don

when he speaks. He gets calls from all over

Seldin?

the world because what he and Mike Brown

Southwestern Medical Foundation recently sat down with Peter O’Donnell and invited him to share his memories and talk about the future.

O’DONNELL: It's impossible to overesti-

are doing continues beyond their original

mate the impact he's had here. Seldin took

work. They're doing tremendous things.

on Goldstein and Brown and mentored them.

SWMF: What do you see going forward?

SWMF: You were good friends with Philip

Seldin spotted Al Gilman. I asked Al one time

O’DONNELL: I believe there is a strong need

O’Bryan “P. O’B.” Montgomery. What can

how he'd gotten to UT Southwestern. Al was

to mentor young MDs who can be trained to

you tell us about him?

at Case Western. He told me, “Dr. Seldin

be clinicians. There is a human component

O’DONNELL: I watched my friend Phil

came to see me, and in 45 minutes he blew

that shouldn't be left behind as we advance

Montgomery devote half a century to serving

me away.” Seldin is an outstanding presenter.

technologically. An outstanding doctor and a

Peter and Edith O’Donnell

UT Southwestern. He was an educator, a

Having that keen eye for talent has been

good friend at the school embodies this idea,

researcher and an associate dean....For many

the difference maker. Goldstein and Brown

Dr. Gene Frenkel. I’d start with oncology and

people in the community, he was an unpaid

spotted Scott Grundy when I was deter-

roll it out through all the departments. My in-

consultant who referred them to experts at

mined to put the study of human nutrition on

terest extends to both physicians and nurses.

the medical center for their health problems.

scientific foundation at the school. It was a

SWMF: Do you see your role over the years

bit of an uphill battle, beginning a Center for

through the lens of a businessperson?

in UT Southwestern. Early on, he asked me

Human Nutrition, but we got it done.

O’DONNELL: I’m not a businessperson; I’m

to support a research project: the UV flying

SWMF: It’s interesting that people needed

an investor. But in the case of the medical

spot microscope. From there I was hooked.

convincing.

school, the return on investment is not mea-

O’DONNELL: I ran across a saying a long

sured in profits but in enduring and positive

“Goldstein and Brown will win the Nobel

time ago that I never forgot: “Obstacles are

leadership.

Prize.” In 1985, they did. In 1988, he said:

what you see when you take your eye off the

SWMF: On behalf of the Foundation and

“Gilman will win it.” He had an eye for talent.

goal.” I resolved to never take my eye off the

the medical school, we thank you and Edith

One day, I picked him up and we were

goal. I've had a long interest in nutrition and

for your tremendous vision, tenacity and

driving along on Inwood Road, by where the

systems biology, as well as in neuroscience

extraordinary generosity.

P. O’B. was the reason I got interested

I remember in 1980, P. O’B. told me:

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