International center honors cultural understanding

Published: Thursday, May 11, 1995

By Lisa Marie Weyh

Mingling with others at an exclusive cocktail reception at the Beverly Hills Hilton, Chancellor Charles Young and former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley acted as if they had known each other for years.

On Tuesday night, guests in tuxedos and sequined gowns gathered at the International Ballroom to witness the presentation of the 1995 Neil H. Jacoby International Award. The Rita and Stanley Dashew International Student Center at UCLA presented the award to businessman Richard Rosenberg for his commitment to international and intercultural understanding through commerce.

The award was established in 1983 in honor of Neil H. Jacoby, founding dean of UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management. Jacoby was also one of the founding members of the International Student Center.

Individuals who have made exceptional contributions to enhancing international understanding are eligible to receive the award, officials said. Past recipients include Ted Turner, Kirk and Anne Douglas, Armand and Frances Hammer and Norman and Ellen Cousins.

The International Student Center, located on Hilgard Avenue, is re-locating to the new facility under construction on Gayley Avenue.

The new building will be called the Tom Bradley International Center, and within this facility, the Rita and Stanley Dashew International Student Center will administer the programs offered to foreign students.

Services include financial and personal counseling for international scholars. The center also helps provide them with visas and housing.

"A whole new world opened up for me when I was a student at UCLA. That is when I became aware of the importance of international studies," Bradley said. "I am very excited to have the International Center named after me. It is a great honor."

Scheduled to open in May 1996, the international center will serve as a venue where American and international students and scholars can interact with one another.

The 42,000 square foot facility will include Hall of Nations lobby, a multi-functional conference room, an international coffee house, study rooms, a library, a dance studio, a telecommunications room and the Tom Bradley Archive, which will display memorabilia collected throughout his 52 years of public service.

"This center is the result of very hard work," said Stanley Dashew, founder of the International Student Center. "We have spent 12 years trying to get this accomplished and it is finally happening."

Directly following the reception at 7:30 p.m., hosts led invitees to the international dinner, where Mario Machado, the Master of Ceremonies, was introduced.

Among his opening lines, the Emmy Award-winning broadcaster said "David Letterman wanted to come tonight so badly that he offered not to be the host."

A video presentation was shown explaining the vision of the Tom Bradley International Center. The video ended with the message, "People must absorb the basic principle of international trade ... learning to exchange what you have for what you need in harmony."

Officials said the Tom Bradley International Center is dedicated to the demonstration of three principles, one of which is a commitment to a global citizenry to address the challenges of the future.

Following the video, Young delivered a speech.

After touching upon several unrelated topics, he then went on to thank those who have helped facilitate the new center.

Young then presented the award to Rosenberg, chairman and CEO of BankAmerica.

"Richard is someone who understands and promotes cultural unity," said Young. "He is someone who is devoted to the world we live in and is personally committed to achieving diversity."