Image from USC Public Relations

USC Alumna Verna B. Dauterive has pledged $25 million to USC, in memory of her late husband and fellow-Trojan, Peter W. Dauterive. The Dauterives met as students in USC’s Doheny Memorial Library, and continued to maintain strong ties with the university throughout their fascinating lifetimes.

“This is a history-making gift,” said USC President Steven B. Sample. “It is the largest ever made by an African American to a U.S. institution of higher learning. We are tremendously grateful to Dr. Verna Dauterive – an alumna who personifies excellence in her professional and civic life – for honoring her alma mater in this way.”

As reported by the Imperial Valley News, Peter returned from WWII service, enrolling at USC under the GI Bill. He graduated near the top of his class, and soon climbed his way to the top of the Savings & Loan Industry. Peter went on to serve as a delegate at the Republican national conventions for twenty years, was appointed by President Reagan to the National Commission for Employment Policy and was an active board member for many charitable and educational organizations.

His wife Verna, who pledged the donation, was a remarkable teacher, administrator and school principal, who earned her master’s and doctoral degrees at USC. In 1995 Verna received the USC Rossier School of Education’s ROSE Award. According to USC, she wrote a dissertation on a historic and legal analysis of school desegregation in the United States, a book that is still in use in law school today. She says the donation is a way of thanking the school for its dedication to diversity and global outreach.