Bergeson, Stahrs and DiSaia honored

B.W. COOK

It is one of the highest honors bestowed in Orange County. The 2003

UCI Medal Ceremony took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Irvine,

attracting more than 750 community and campus leaders.

The black-tie ceremony bestowed the UCI Medals upon Marian

Bergeson, Elizabeth and John Stahr, and Phillip DiSaia. The honorees

are chosen each year for their dedication and generosity associated

with the “mission, spirit and vision of UCI.”

The ceremony was hosted by UCI Chancellor Ralph Cicerone and

sponsored by the UCI Foundation. The very dynamic couple David E.I.

Pyott, chairman and CEO of Allergan Inc., and his wife, Julianna,

chaired the evening and helped to attract a broad base of support and

contributions exceeding $800,000.

The evening’s donations set a record for the UCI Medal Ceremony,

amounting to a 26% gain over last year’s high water mark. The

proceeds benefit undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships

at UCI. Ted Smith, chair of the UCI Foundation, was on hand to thank

the many generous supporters, especially the evening’s chairs for

their commitment.

“The leadership of the Pyotts helped guide the success of this

year’s event,” Smith said. “We are extremely grateful to them for

their support, and I would like to congratulate all members of the

UCI Foundation for their efforts to raise money to support the

students at the university.”

Bergeson of Newport Beach is a former California secretary of

Education, a state legislator and a member of the Orange County Board

of Supervisors. In addition, Bergeson is a UCI Foundation ambassador

and a member of the Center for the Study of Democracy’s Leadership

Council.

Fellow honorees Elizabeth and John Stahr, also of Newport Beach,

are community activists who have supported UCI dating back to 1964.

Elizabeth is a UCI Foundation ambassador and was recognized as Woman

of the Year by the California State Legislature in 1992. John Stahr is a retired partner in the law firm of Latham and Watkins and has

been an active leader for many UCI efforts.

Philip DiSaia is chief of gynecologic oncology at UCI Medical

Center. DiSaia is also a professor whose studies in the area of

women’s ovarian, uterine and cervical cancers have been recognized

nationally.

With more than 24,000 graduate and undergraduate students and more

than 1,300 facility members, UCI is ranked the third largest employer

in Orange County. As a top-ranking public university, UCI continues

to attract the best and the brightest in a diverse range of

disciplines.

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