The Names Behind the North Campus

F. Otis Booth, Jr. and Charles T. Munger

The successful planning, fundraising, and execution of Poly's comprehensive campus improvements trace back to the vision and early commitment of several loyal supporters. Among these generous leaders, Charles T. Munger and F. Otis Booth, Jr. both expressed their appreciation of Poly through substantial gifts that help ensure the school's vitality well into the future. We celebrate the opening of a new year in side-by-side North Campus buildings bearing the friends' names.

Charles T. Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and chairman of Wesco Financial Corp., is the grandparent of three Poly graduates. Just three years ago, Munger visited Poly and used a few pen strokes on a campus map to outline the fundamental elements of a new design. On the North Campus, Munger's concept of a linear drop-off and pick-up area along Wilson Avenue maximizes efficiency and safety along with the space for new administrative and classroom buildings. On the South Campus, the current construction of a multi-story building in place of the older one-story Mudd building follows Munger's recommendation to "take one big bite" in expanding classroom and library space.

Munger's ideas and generous backing of such bold improvements added momentum to Poly's readiness for change. In watching initial design ideas become a reality that will help students keep pace with a quickly changing world in all disciplines, Poly is indebted to Charles T. Munger for his generous monetary and creative strategic contributions.

F. Otis Booth, Jr. '38, a proud member of Poly's only four-generation, direct-line family in the school's history, matched his dear friend Charles T. Munger's gift to The Next 100 Years campaign under one condition. He asked that one of the two new North Campus buildings along Wilson Avenue bear the Booth name to honor all of his family's graduates and that the other building be named for Munger, his "best friend in the world."

Booth's magnificent gift was a wonderful endorsement of the campaign and gave many other donors the impetus they needed to support the project generously. Booth passed away in June 2008, but his commitment to Poly lives on through his family. Four of his children and two grandchildren are all Poly alumni, and their continued encouragement of Poly's programs is a treasured legacy. The spirit of friendship in the Booth and Munger gifts to the school will surely always echo through our campus.