UCR high priority for Brithinee Brothers
Returning students benefit from
twins' scholarship program
Don, left, and Wally Brithinee at Brithinee Electric Co.
BY E. JOHN MCGOWAN
From the very first, Don and Wally Brithinee have done things together, including their continued support and association with UCR. Whether earning a combined six degrees from UCR, co-owning Brithinee Electric, or providing critical scholarship support, identical twin brothers Donald ('68, '70 M.A., '71 Ph.D.) and Wallace ('68, '70 M.A., '71 Ph.D.) Brithinee have shown that alumni are instrumental to the success of their University. Through their leadership in the UCR Alumni Association, Don and Wally have carved out a considerable niche for themselves. Don was a member of the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1974 through 1985 serving as treasurer, president elect, president and past-president. During his tenure, the UCR Alumni Association instituted one of its most significant traditions--the Alumni Scholarship Program, which each year awards over $40,000 to UCR students. the importance and success of this program prompted Don and Wally themselves to endow a unique scholarship program.
The Brithinee Scholarship is open to returning students as compared to the freshman scholarship program which is offered to freshman students. Over the past nine years, the brothers have donated $44,000 to assist UCR students in completing their college education The Brithinees' own college experience was one of academic discipline. As preparation, they spent their last year in high school taking classes at Chaffey Community College (at the time UCR did not offer such an option). "It was a productive way to make use of the final high school year, especially in subject matter that was simply not available at the high school," said Wally. The classes were offered at almost no cost and were fully transferable. This allowed Don and Wally to transfer those units to UCR and to complete their undergraduate education in three years. After graduating in 1968 with highest honors, they pursued docorates in mathematics. Their impressive work as graduate students earned them federal fellowships which included their own office on campus. As Don and Wally completed their degrees, they spent their extra time learning the family's electric motor business.
They realized that Brithinee Electric was fast becoming a highly successful enterprise and decided to pursue the family business full time. They now co-own Brithinee Electric which services and sells electronic motors for industrial customers and is one of the largest companies of its kind in the Inland Empire. As Leaders in their industry, Don and Wally encourage their staff to participate in industry, government, and educational partnerships, and to interact with regulatory agencies in order to stream line compliance. This includes work with the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Last year, Wally was invited to the White House by the White House Office of Science and Technology, where he worked with corporate leaders and directors of national laboratories to formulate ways in which industial companies and government agencies can work better on long term research and development, especially in the area of pollution prevention technology. Results were then presented directly to Vice President Al Gore. The Brithinee brothers have found special significance in the Alumni Scholarship Program.
Don sees it as an excellent recruitment tool to attract exceptional students throughout the state. He also believes that the scholarship program strongly impacted the Association's development. "Being a young group, UCR alumni haven't always been able to be financially generous but were willing to put in the time needed to run the scholarship program. It gave the Alumni Association a reason to be" Meeting the recipients of the Brithinee Scholarship and recognizing their outstanding scholastic achievement makes the brothers proud donors. "The satisfaction of working with activities like the scholarship committee is finding out what's on the minds of young people. Their slant on the future is quite different than the adult world's slant on the same future--its enlightening," said Wally. Don feels he can appreciate UCR's Commitment to bright and hardworking students in pay for their education. "UC and UC Riverside in particular will provide students with an outstanding opportunity. We didn't have a lot of money when we entered school yet we got an education that I would put up against any one's education."
