Westmont Magazine A Second Million from Mericos

The Mericos Foundation of South Pasadena has approved a $1 million challenge grant to Westmont for a building for the sciences. Completing this facility and a new art center nearby is part of the college’s long-range plan.

The foundation, created by Donald W. Whittier and named for his father, Mericos Whittier, donated $1 million to Westmont in the early 1980s to build the Mericos Whittier Science Building on campus. Donald, who was closely tied to the Santa Barbara community, established the foundation before his death in 1983 to provide support to the Santa Barbara area.

‘‘The Mericos Founda-tion is proud and pleased to contribute toward the construction of Westmont’s new science building,’’ said Linda J. Blinkenberg, director of foundations for Mericos. ‘‘Education has been one of the Mericos Foundation’s major interests, and the board is happy to support Westmont with its plan to complete the campus.’’

The  building will house the mathematics, computer science, physics, and psychology departments.
The Mericos Foundation pledge will be paid over five years when the college matches it with funds from friends, families, alumni and other donors. The donation is the second million-dollar gift pledged to Westmont this year, and follows two multimillion-dollar commitments received in 1998.