Athletic Director Pat Haden celebrates a milestone today - his 60th birthday. In recognition of this event and to honor his lifelong commitment to USC, President Max Nikias and USC Athletic Development embarked on a secret campaign to raise funds to name what will be the Patrick C. Haden Hall of Champions in the new Heritage Hall.
Having reached out to Haden's close friends and colleagues as well as University Trustees, the department raised $4 million in just a few short weeks, including the largest ever gift received by USC from a former UCLA student-body president, Ben Vandebunt.The surprise gift was unveiled at a special celebration hosted by President and Mrs. Nikias at their home earlier this month. Haden's best friend J.K. McKay gave a rousing toast, while Chairman of the Board Ed Roski, former Mayor Richard Riordan, Trustee Peter Ueberroth, and Charles Griffin Cale, who endowed Haden's Director of Athletics' Chair, were among the distinguished guests in attendance.
"I have said many times that you are the ideal embodiment of the type of person we hope our student-athletes will become," Nikias said about Haden. "Your dedication to the body, the mind, and the athletic spirit serves as an inspiration to our students and people throughout our university."
Nikias continued: "Because you have brought such great honor to USC, we wanted to find a special way to honor you. In this way, a prominent place in the building that honors the greatest achievements in Trojan history will carry the name of one of the greatest Trojans of all time. And your legacy as a student-athlete, as an academic leader, and as a person will forever be connected to the storied legacy of USC."
(Photo of Haden and Nikias by Pierson Clair)
