75 YEARS OF VISION: THE LASTING GIFT
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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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