USD Magazine, Summer 2002

is chat you can walk out one door co the next and there is a mix of learning taking place," says Donald, who received his engineering degree from the University of Portland in 1951, and later joined Edwards Laboratory as their chief engineer. Donald left that company in 1964 and started his own business, Shiley Inc. He worked on inventions in che garage of his Southern California home - years before Bill Gares made the practice famous - and built che enterprise co more than 950 employ– ees. The company manufactured a broad line of cardiovascular and blood handling devices, and was sold to Pfizer in 1978. Shorcly before selling the company, Donald married Darlene, a science fan herself. "The joke is I was the only girl in my high school class who could pith

a frog, " says Darlene, who entered San Jose Stace University as a biology major. "I choughc I would be a good teacher, but when I found out I had co rake more chemistry classes, chat blew ic for me. " Darlene went on co earn a degree in her true love, theater arcs, which in pare helped her find the love of her life. She was performing in "Lion in Winter" for the Berkeley community cheater while Donald, a widower with four children, was in the audience. A mutual friend arranged dinner after– ward, but six months went by before Donald asked her out on a dace. In June, they celebrated 24 years of mar– riage. "And they said it wouldn't last," Darlene jokes, nudging her husband. Through their foundation, che Shileys have supported causes close co their hearts - medical research,

the arcs and education. They recencly funded an orthopedic research chair ac San Diego's Scripps Clinic, sponsored two Scripps neurology fellowships and launched the UCSD Shiley Eye Center, a world renowned eye-care center whose staff has pioneered sight-saving surgical techniques. They funded The Globe Theatres artist-in-residence pose, and have been major supporters of local public television programming. continued on page 33

Opening In Fall 2003, the Donald Pearce Shiley Center for Science andTechno'°IJ will be the ~ building on campus.