Don Schweitzer: Supporting a Community
As the new president of the Foundation, Don Schweitzer is proud of his caring team and how dedicated they are to caring for PCC.
“It’s a wonderful group of folks who love the College and its students,” he says. “All the members of the board dedicate their time and energy towards the improvement of the school. They understand how important PCC is for the community.”
And Don knows a thing or two about the value of a community college education.
Before beginning his career as a Certified Family Law Specialist at Schweitzer Law Partners in Pasadena, where he is both Founder and Partner, Don was a self-described “undisciplined” high school graduate.
“When I graduated in 1977, I was not ready to focus on college,” he says.
After a stint working for the Santa Ana PD, Don ended up attending community college, which helped him identify careers that aligned with his talents and interests. He would later go on to graduate from the University of Redlands, attend law school, and start his own law firm, becoming one of Pasadena’s most familiar and friendly billboard faces.
“Going to community college was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” Don says. “I blossomed there, intellectually. Got good grades for the first time in my life, realized who I was, found my passion, transferred to a university, and the rest is history.”
This is why Don is so passionate about serving on the board of the PCC Foundation. The mission to support students with scholarships and academic enhancements is a cause from which he’s personally benefited in the past.
Now, with the College’s bond issue set to appear on the November ballot, Don is excited by the possibilities it brings to the table.
“It’s no secret that buildings, especially buildings built almost 100 years ago, require not only maintenance but significant repairs,” he says. “An example would be PCC’s Sexson Auditorium. It’s a grand theater, and it’s capable of doing so much for the students and the community, but it’s been underutilized in recent years because it needs to be updated.”
Don points out PCC’s iconic mirror pools, which are currently drained and waiting to undergo plumbing and restoration upgrades.
He says, “This is a perfect example of what the bond measure will be supporting. The mirror pools are a quintessential landmark of PCC, and like all facilities, they need to be updated.”
As president, Don has a number of goals set for the next two years. But energizing the PCC community is at the top of his list.
“I want people to get excited about PCC again,” he says. “During COVID, it’s quite possible that people have forgotten how important the College is to the community and how valuable it is for families and individuals to improve their lives. I want to reenergize that thinking and help lead our efforts to improve upon the campus facilities and infrastructure through the upcoming bond measure.”
“People involved with PCC are not only making their mark in the community, but they are also truly passionate about the need for higher education,” Don adds. “That’s what citizens will be supporting by simply voting for this bond measure come November. They will be part of this effort to make a mark in the community that’s going to have a lasting effect.”