Kathryn Kendall
For Kathryn Kendall, supporting USC Dornsife is a family matter. A graduate of the University of Colorado herself, Kendall’s father and her daughter are both proud Trojans. Her father graduated with a degree in engineering in 1955 while her daughter earned a degree in art history in 2012. Kendall became involved in supporting the university after witnessing her daughter’s experience as an art history major at USC Dornsife. “She had the most wonderful time here,” says Kendall. “It really made me feel for the university in a way that I wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Appreciation for Art History
Kendall traces her appreciation of USC Dornsife back to an experience that she shared with her daughter early on in her time as an undergraduate. Her daughter enrolled in a Renaissance art history class with a dozen other students. The professor arranged an optional Sunday afternoon outing to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif., where she planned to lead the students through the exhibits and discuss them in the context of the course material. Kendall and her daughter arrived on time, expecting that the two would go their separate ways, only to find that they were the only ones to show up.
Kendall expected that the professor would cancel the tour. Instead, she gave Kendall and her daughter a personalized version, letting them ask questions and taking her time with them. “It was an amazing, kind and fascinating experience,” Kendall says, “and one that impressed me with how down to earth and dedicated the faculty are.”
Though Kendall’s daughter graduated in 2012, her support of USC has continued. She’s given to the Art History Fund, helping to provide student educational experiences and supporting faculty research in the department. She’s also given to K-USC, the Cardinal and Gold Fund, Town and Gown, and the Trojan Marching Band.
She explains that her support for all these departments, initiatives and areas stems from her belief in a USC Dornsife education. “I think that studying at USC Dornsife is an invaluable experience,” she says. “I’ve seen it and I believe in it.”