ULV receives monetary gifts

by Rebecca Cooper
Staff Writer

The University of La Verne recently received the final distributions of two donations totaling over $2 million.

The first gift of about $711,000 was from the estates of Chester and Virginia Poister. The Poisters were long-time citrus ranchers in the Pomona Valley. Virginia was a 1930 graduate of La Verne College.

The Poisters' gifts were unrestricted, which means the board of Trustees will decide the best way to spend the donations. All donations are first sent through University Relations, and later sent to the cashier to be placed in the proper account. After they are placed in the proper account, the Board of Trustees decides how and where the money is spent.

"It's a wonderful expression of the loyalty of these alumni that they made these gifts to ULV," said Jean Bjerke, vice president of University Relations. "It's absolutely critical to the University to receive gifts like these so we can do some very important things that help the University community as a whole."

Adeline Friedman, a 1979 graduate of the College of Law, left ULV about $1.4 million in her estate. The University received the first $600,000 a year ago and the final $800,000 in October.

Friedman died in 1998, but contacted the University prior to her death to inform them of her planned gift.

"We knew she planned giving seminars and she indicated that she had provided to us in her will, but we didn't know how much," Bjerke said. "When we were contacted about the distribution after her death, we were amazed and delighted by the donation."

Friedman's gift is the largest bequest in ULV history. Her gift was placed in the College of Law account to help construct the new Ontario building for the College of Law, where her name is on the grand entry atrium.

"She was a woman who provided for a number of charities," Bjerke said. "She simply wanted to give back to the community and the college she attended."