Growing a Legacy of STEM at USD

On her computer screen is a Post-it note with a simple phrase: “What would Donald do?” For Darlene Marcos Shiley, this daily reminder of her beloved late husband Donald guides the decisions she makes and the way she lives her life.

The Shiley name is ubiquitous at USD, and Donald and Darlene’s impact is felt across the campus. This past November, in front of more than 950 people at USD’s 75th Anniversary Founders Gala, the Shiley legacy catapulted even further through a record-breaking $75 million contribution to the university to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiatives.

Shiley sat down with University of San Diego Magazine to reflect on her life with Donald, her history with USD and the reasons behind her transformational gift.

HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INVOLVED WITH USD?

We went to a USD event with friends and [President] Art Hughes said the phrase “values based education.” It was like a spotlight and fireworks — that was it. It’s not just an education, it’s values based. You can’t just go out and do whatever you want to. You’ve got to make sure that what you’re doing is positive and productive. Integrity matters. Your word matters. I’m not sure we’re teaching that as much in some schools as we should be, but schools like the University of San Diego are, and that’s why I put my attention there. And now I’ve been involved with USD for over 30 years. The values, the drive, the education — all those things have to come together, and they can at a place like the University of San Diego.

WHY IS EDUCATION SO IMPORTANT TO YOU AND DONALD?

Both Donald and myself came from poor backgrounds. But we learned at a very early age that education was the way to move forward. You’re not going to go anyplace if you don’t get educated and prepare yourself for what the world has out there. Lots of times people question whether higher education is necessary. I don’t because my family made it very clear that education was the way to get out of where we were. And it’s not to just be wildly successful and have lots of money, it’s to better yourself. Donald was raised the same way — and we believe that education is everything.

WHY IS THIS GIFT FOCUSED ON STEM EDUCATION AND RESEARCH?

Our focus has always been in education, health and the arts. In the last few years, I’ve shifted the focus more to STEM. Donald and I are supporters of all categories of education, including Catholic universities, public universities, community colleges, Catholic high schools and elementary schools. The pieces of STEM were all things that Donald excelled at. It’s the most logical thing in the world. I think the future lies in people like Donald, grabbing whatever talents they have and finding the best place to use them. STEM is the future — and especially in San Diego. You get to go to school here and then stay and work here.

I believe that science, technology, engineering and math are always going to be important and that’s the best place for me to make this gift. With the STEM emphasis, my hope is that the transformative nature of the gift will make students feel it is important. People are supporting this, and the university is going to do this. Students will say, “It must be important. I’m pretty good at this. I’m going to focus on this.” They don’t all have to be heart valve inventors. But I want them to feel that they’ve chosen a good area of interest and they are going in the right direction. They can make a living. They can have a family. They can do something they feel really good about and that they’re good at. If you can get a student to think that way, we’re doing our job. It certainly worked for me, it worked for Donald and it worked for lots of people.

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN USD IN SUCH A BIG WAY?

I like to concentrate on the positive, because my job is to do the things that Donald and I thought we should do. That had a lot to do with my gift to USD. It was time to do something big that fits the word ‘transformative.’ The STEM field is very important — and Donald was obviously big in that field. I thought a lot about the gift I wanted to give, and I told [President] Jim [Harris] what I wanted to do — and he asked how I came up with that number. It was the university’s 75th anniversary, and I thought that would be nifty. I also adore President Harris. I think he was the absolute right man at the right time, and I really like what he’s done for USD.

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT DURING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY FOUNDERS GALA?

The main thing I was thinking was: Were you out of your mind when you agreed to do it this way? [laughter] I mean, I was terrified. I thought, oh Darlene, you’ve not done this right. And then as I got closer [to making the announcement] — and anybody who has performed is turned on by an audience — you look out there, you see these faces, and you don’t really know what’s coming next. Especially when I’m speaking, you don’t really know what’s coming next! But I felt that everybody was with us — and after my announcement about Donald’s and my gift, I thought — wow, everybody thinks this is a good idea.

WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT USD?

When I was being interviewed to be on the board of USD, they gave you a sheet of paper with a list of questions you would have to answer indicating that you deserve to be on the Board. So, I read through them and I paid special attention to question number six. [President] Art [Hughes] asked if I had any questions and I said, well, yes, question number six: “Are you of good moral character?” And he got this look in his eye — because he obviously didn’t know me that well then — and he said, “well, how long have you been of good moral character?” I said, since I married my husband Donald Shiley. And Art said, “that’s long enough.”

That was it — I started my service on the Board at that moment. [I stay on the board] because I guess it’s the sense of being with an organization that is transmitting the kind of values that you value — and 30 years is a long time to be with one organization. This all started out with a $25,000 gift, and the most recent one was a little more than that, but I believe in USD, and I know Donald would, too. There are several organizations that we support and will continue to support. A lot of people use the word transformative — this really is transformative, and I understand that. I feel good about it — and I thought, okay, it’s time. I’m getting towards the end of my life, I don’t know how much time I have, and I want to make some of these decisions now.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO GIVE AWAY YOUR WEALTH DURING YOUR LIFETIME?

Donald earned the money that we have, and I helped invest it. When you’ve been poor, you want to make sure you use it properly. I also want people to know that if you work hard and you have money, you have a responsibility to do good things with it. And I’m not talking about ‘giving it back.’ I feel there isn’t anyone to ‘give it back’ to. I do believe in the more positive view of paying it forward. I also want people to remember that there were people who didn’t know them, who cared enough about them to make education and life just a little bit easier for them. It was hard for Donald and myself. We were talented and smart, but back then the family made just enough money to be slightly over the poverty line and I relied on scholarships. I think it’s important that people know things don’t just happen. They happen because somebody does something out of the ordinary or pushes the envelope just a little bit.

WHEN SOMEONE LOOKS BACK ON YOUR LEGACY, HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

I want people to know that I am real. I once had a wonderful conversation with a student and afterwards he said, “Holy — you know what — she’s for real!” But I suppose that’s not appropriate for a mausoleum. In all seriousness, I would want to be remembered as a genuine woman, a superb wife and a loving person. I think that’s what I’d want to see. I’d want people to remember that I was approachable, affable and that I was kind. And that’s how I live my life — I just wanted to try to be as good a person as I can. And I’m a better person because I was married to Donald.

— Interview by Russell Yost

This story was featured in the spring 2025 issue of University of San Diego Magazine. University of San Diego Magazine is the flagship publication of the University of San Diego. Published two times a year, the magazine is distributed to alumni, parents and friends of the university.