On The Town:

Woodbury University celebrated its 125th anniversary last week with a variety of events that began with the Woodbury Golf Classic at La Cañada Flintridge Country Club and culminated with a Saturday Oktoberfest.

Between the tee-off on the links and the food and fun of the German-inspired fall festival, the weeklong celebration also included the awarding of the annual Movers and Shapers Award to former Burbank Mayor Bill Wiggins and his wife, Marilyn, campus tours, reunions and a Founder’s and Alumni Parents Festival.

Founded by educator and entrepreneur F.C. Woodbury in 1884, Woodbury Business College was first in central Los Angeles. In 1937, the university moved to facilities on Wilshire Boulevard where it remained till 1987 when it moved to its current Glenoaks Boulevard site on the border of Burbank and Los Angeles.

The highlight of the celebratory week was the Presidents Reception and 125th Anniversary Celebration Dinner in the courtyard of the university’s library and Alumni Quad on Friday evening.

The reception featured numerous presentations including the Faculty Hall of Fame Awards and the Alumnus of the Year Award that recognizes extraordinary individuals who have made significant contributions to the university, in their chosen professions and by exemplary citizenship and volunteerism.

Presided over by Woodbury President Ken Nielsen, Senior Vice President David Rosen, Board Chairman Robert Kummer and Trustee Pegi Matsuda, who served as the mistress of ceremonies, the early-evening reception was attended by Rep. Adam Schiff, members of the university’s board of trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters.

Inducted into the Faculty Hall of Fame was the chairwoman of the school’s architecture department, professor Geraldine Forbes Isais, and English professor Roland B. Jones and the school’s first faculty member, F.W. Kelsey, who were both honored posthumously. This year’s Alumnus of the Year Award honors were bestowed upon Carl Terzian, William Lucas, Paul Conn, Harry Gilbert, William Thomas and posthumously to Steven Gamble.

Among those in attendance for the reception and dinner were Rose Nielsen, Kara Rosen, Patricia Gamble, John Karayan, Frank and Pam Murphy, Bernadette Ash, Howard Giffis, Edward Clift, Louise Coffey-Webb, Harvey Cova, Larry Haworth, Seta Javor, Don St. Clair, Damon Griffin, Liana Jindaryan, Sebastian and Monica Zacharia, Donald and Byjng Jhung, and Andre Van Niekerk.

Others attending included Michael and Hildegard Lindsay, Joan Terzian, Dorthy Lucas, Sally Conn, Susan Lawton, Ellen Campbell, Rozella Knox, James Inman, Paul and Susan Decker, Rebecca Devereaux, William and Margaret Farnum, Howard and Suzanne Furst, Charles and Lynn Saffell, Robert Bjorklund, Bill and Anne Schubert, Marilyn Cova, John and Marlene Sheffield, and Patricia Barham Inman.

?DAVID LAURELL can be contacted at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.