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AS AN ADMINISTRATOR and colleague, Scott Bice is respected and trusted. As a teacher, he is revered. As a donor, he is charting new territory.
With a $1 million gift, Bice and his wife, Barbara, doubled the size of a scholarship fund created in their name by friends and alumni of the USC Law School, a fund established last spring in honor of Scott Bice’s retirement as dean of the school. Their gift marks the largest commitment of any dean or faculty member to USC, and one of few such gifts nationwide.
“The gift is extraordinary for its generosity and because of the message it sends,” said Matthew Spitzer, who replaced Bice as dean of the Law School. “I think it is inspiring, especially to our supporters, to see how much the people who work here believe in what we’re doing.”
The Bices see the gift as a natural extension of their relationship to USC.
“We have such a strong connection to USC,” Bice said. “We have no children, so whatever resources we have ultimately will go to charity. As someone who has spent 20 years encouraging others to make a commitment to the university, it seemed absolutely natural and easy for us to make a commitment within our own capacity.
“I firmly believe that a legal education that produces competent lawyers with a strong sense of integrity and a commitment to social justice is crucial to maintaining the well-being of our society.”
The Bice connection with USC began with Scott Bice’s parents, Virginia and Fred Bice, who both attended USC and are the namesakes of an endowed law professorship. His sister, Kathleen, also earned her degree at USC and was a member of the university’s physical therapy faculty for a number of years.
Scott Bice came to USC in 1961 to begin working on a B.S. in business and finance. With the exception of two years on the East Coast – one spent clerking for U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren, the other as a visiting professor at the University of Virginia – he’s been at USC ever since. He earned his law degree in 1968, began teaching in 1969, was associate dean for academic affairs from 1970 to 1974, and was named dean in 1980.
BARBARA BICE has been a teacher, administrator and fund-raiser. After receiving her master’s degree in English, she taught honors English at San Marino High School. Moving into administration, she founded and directed the high school’s College and Career Center, an innovative combination of work experience, education and career and college counseling.
She was later recruited to become the first executive director of the San Marino Schools Foundation, the district’s private fund-raising program. In 1994, she served as director of volunteer services for World Cup ’94, managing more than 2,000 volunteers. She now works as a development consultant for nonprofit organizations.
“I see our gift as a way to keep involved with students,” she said. “It’s important to me to continue our association with the students. We’ve maintained relationships with students going back to ’69 – we’re even godparents to the children of one of Scott’s former students.”
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