USD Magazine, Summer 1995

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Jauch Though Maureen (Pecht) King '64 was impressed when she first met USD's new president and his wife in 1971, it was her second meeting with Marge Hughes that confirmed just how personable their leadership was going to be. "My husband and I first met Art and Marge on an evening when they met at least 25 people, during a week in which they probably met 500 people," Maureen recalls. "A few weeks later, I was at the Little Folks shop in La Jolla. I was buying some– thing when in comes Marge, and before I even had a chance to look up, she said, 'Maureen, how are you?' "She called me by name, knew exactly who I was and where and when she had met me. I thought, 'This lady will do just fine in her job.'" Ask anyone about Marge Hughes and her work for USO, and praise comes pouring back. Every conversation is sprinkled with words such as vital, caring, genuine, intelligent, comfortable and welcoming, qualities that friends confirm have drawn numerous people closer to the university. "Marge has such a wonderful, outgoing way," says Ruth Mulvaney, who met Marge through the USO Auxiliary. "She knows not a stranger and goes out of her way to make you feel good.''

That amiable manner helped ease the transition in 1971 when Marge and Art arrived in a new city and began to fulfill the responsibilities of a university president and his family. As Art took the reins of the nearly merged University of San Diego, Marge had no idea what her role at the university would be. While Art could draw on some of the experi– ences of his predecessors, there hadn't been a president's wife after which Marge could model her respon– sibilities - the previous presidents had all been priests or nuns.

The Hughes family: Greg, Tim, Marge, Art, Susan and John.