IACS Trustee Spotlight: Ellen M. Hancock
Editor’s Note: IACS Trustee Ellen Marie Hancock passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Below is a conversation with Ellen that was originally published in the Fall 2021 print edition of En Camino.
A visionary leader in the tech industry and business world, Ellen Hancock is a generous philanthropist, active volunteer and longtime supporter of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USC. Ellen was the first woman and lay chair of the Institute’s Board of Trustees. Her leadership has been pivotal in the development and growth of IACS.
In the Q&A below, Ellen discusses the Institute and its future.
How did you first become involved with IACS?
I joined the Institute early on. I was impressed with its mission to further Catholic thought, strengthen the Catholic intellectual tradition and create dialogue with different religions and faith groups. I believe it’s important to have an independent Catholic institute that can foster Catholic thought and publish material exploring important topics.
What IACS project are you most proud of?
A project that resonated quickly has been the True Wealth of Nations. It’s an example of the important role our Institute serves – producing research in areas of wide interest.
Catholicism teaches us to love our neighbor and care for others — this is evident in the Catholic Church’s important role in areas like health care, education and business. One of my goals has been making sure the Institute doesn’t simply focus on esoteric things – although they may be interesting, we can create wider appeal and interest in our Institute and Catholicism by examining our faith’s role in everyday topics people care about.
What makes IACS different from other Catholic institutes?
There are many religious and academic institutes, but IACS is unique — there are very few independent Catholic academic institutes doing the type of work we are doing.
There are many religious and academic institutes, but IACS is unique — there are very few independent Catholic academic institutes doing the type of work we are doing.”
How has the Institute been successful?
Our work with scholars has resulted in very successful books that have been published by top academic publishing houses and met with positive peer reviews. We’ve also had discussions with USC on different areas and put topics into religious context, like religious analogies in film. It’s things like that where the Institute has made an impact. Our Institute may not yet be everything we envision— but we’re still working at it and moving forward.
Why is supporting the Institute important?
The Institute needs a strong financial support structure and people on the Board of Trustees who are committed to our mission. We’ve been fortunate to have dedicated, knowledgeable trustees along with tremendous support from across USC. All of that support is necessary for the long-term success of our organization — which is still very young. It also builds a foundation that will enable the Institute to fulfill its mission far into the future. In today’s world, that mission is more important than ever.