CLASS OF ' 68
Imagine a campus with just three buildings , buzzing with bulldozers , and a student body so small you knew nearly everyone . This was UC San Diego for the charter class of freshmen , who graduated 50 years ago this year .
“ One of greatest things was being around a small group of peers ,” says Vicki McKenna , who with her fellow ’ 68 alum husband , David , established the Revelle College Inaugural Class Scholarship . Twenty-five classmates have since contributed to the scholarship , totaling $ 80,000 and endowing it in perpetuity . “ I had two scholarships when I attended in the ’ 60s ,” says McKenna . “ I wouldn ’ t have been able to go otherwise , so I know how important it is to students .”
These were our forebears — the beanie-wearing , melondropping pioneers — and this is only a sample of where they went over the past half-century . Read more from them and others at tritonmag . com / 68
“ UCSD was an amazing event in my life history . It was so very difficult for me , especially coming from a high school that didn ' t challenge me much . I improved my critical thinking tenfold , was inspired by the amazing faculty and was challenged to my very roots of existence by the curriculum .
My career went into computer programming , and I stayed in that field most of my life . I married my college sweetheart and another first class graduate , Sharon Sutton , who passed away in the mid-1990s . Since then , I ' ve become interested in photography and have traveled the country in an RV with my current wife , Donna , doing photography . We now live in Idaho , where I work for McGraw-Hill Book Company , do programming for an RV park and photography and web pages for a wildlife refuge . Life is full and good , and getting harder to navigate with this old bod !” — James Perdue ’ 68
“ I went on to earn an MBA in marketing from SDSU , and married my beautiful wife , Pam ( with ’ 68 classmates Dennis Betcher and Dave Shine as groomsmen !). For over 33 years I worked in sales and marketing positions in the research and clinical industry . My wife and I are enjoying retirement tremendously ! Our two children and grandchildren live in Seattle ; I ’ ve joined the Kiwanis Club , and we ’ ve had season tickets to the Old Globe Theatre for the past 20 years . For needed exercise , I walk my dog , Maggie , 2 miles every day but Sunday ( a day of rest !)” — David West ’ 68
“ Although I majored in Spanish and ended up working in accounting , Revelle ' s science curriculum was invaluable in understanding and supporting my husband in his engineering career at SAIC and both our daughters in their careers in the sciences . I ' m currently enjoying the grandkids , family , friends and traveling .” — Barbara ( Beasley ) Helland ’ 68
“ Like many of us , I started in math but ended up with a degree in economics . After graduating I worked for General Atomic Company across the street from UCSD , analyzing nuclear power reactor sales . For about 30 years after , I managed environmental cleanups with Department of Energy contractors . My wife Claire and I have enjoyed following the sports careers of our kids , and now follow our grandkids around the country . We live in Erie , Colorado , but love to travel , primarily for snorkeling and saltwater fly fishing .
Good luck to the Triton teams as they move to Division I . The Class of 1968 was also responsible for integrating varsity athletics into the rigors of UCSD . I was a member of the first UCSD varsity basketball team — no scholarships , but two free pairs of Chuck Taylors !” — Dennis Betcher ’ 68
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