USD Magazine Summer 2019

MEET JAKE MILLGARD ’16

“I hope to pay it forward one day and continue the evolution of nursing through education,” she says. “It is with a full and grateful heart that I say, ‘thank you.’” Gratitude is at the heart of the Scholarship Appreciation Luncheon. Students come face-to-face with the benefactors who made their scholarships possible, and benefactors meet the students who bring their philanthropy to life. Trustee Emeritus Richard P. Woltman established the Richard and Kaye Woltman Endowed Scholarship Fund. He served on USD’s Board of Trustees for more than 15 years, starting in 1972 when the San Diego College for Men, the San Diego College for Women and the School of Law merged to become what is now the University of San Diego. “The word ‘philanthropy’ has always carried a certain romance with it,” said Woltman. “It is made up of two Greek words — philos , which means love, and anthropy , which is mankind. Philanthropy, which means the love of man- kind, helped build this university. Scholarships are another great form of philanthropy and, for all of you who have received a schol- arship, you should feel very loved.” USD Vice President for Universi- ty Advancement Rick Virgin said the recently completed Leading Change fundraising campaign established 233 new scholarships. “Think of the ripple effect,” Virgin said. “Behind each one of those scholarships are the benefactors who had a vision and the students who were given opportunities, experiences, connections and support that changed their lives. “That’s what you’re doing,” Virgin added. “You’re changing lives — the lives of our students. Their stories are now a part of your story. Their successes will for- ever be a part of your legacy.”

ZACHARY BARRON

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graduate of The Old Globe USD Graduate Acting MFA Program, Jake hails from Spokane, Washington. He knew his career path early on: “It was either going to be baseball or acting.” But in sixth grade it all clicked. As the Woodsman in his school’s production of Blame It on the Wolf , Millgard’s tiny, relatively understated role sprung to life. “It was the smallest part in the play and no one else took it seriously,” he recalls. Since then, this actor with 15 years of professional experience has taken on stage, film and television roles. Baseball? Not so much. The self-proclaimed “acting supergeek,” says it’s all about “figuring out what makes a character tick.” Millgard’s never-ending character study is key to an accurate and rewarding portrayal. His first-choice roles? The “unlikeables.” That said, this actor’s true north is “the ease and effortlessness” of the undeniably likeable Jimmy Stewart combined with the humor, breadth and depth of actors like John C. Reilly. “I always like people who are very funny, but who don’t get locked into that.” Another rule to live by for Millgard is fearlessness: “I’m not afraid of them,” he says. By “them,” he means the audience. A storyteller at heart, Millgard’s hope is to be remembered for doing what he loves. Fame, fortune and awards might be nice, but at his core, he’s still the sixth-grader relishing the applause and connection he felt way back when as the Woodsman. — Allyson Meyer ‘16

Make your own gift to benefit students at sandiego.edu/giving.

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SUMMER 2019