May 2023 saw the dedication of the first new building on campus in 43 years, the John Arrillaga Residence Hall. That last building, Haynes-Prim Pavilion, took six years from permit to opening. The new building took half that time. The reason, according to President Steven Weiner? John Arrillaga.
In their dedication speeches, both President Weiner and emeritus board member Charles “Chop” Keenan ’58 noted the high cost of housing in Silicon Valley. “If we didn’t have the housing available to students on campus, we were in effect denying access to education for a lot of people we still had the opportunity to serve,” said Weiner.
Keenan concurred. “I think we had 530 beds and roughly 900 students. But with Silicon Valley going crazy, our students couldn’t afford to go out and rent in the marketplace. And the thing about college is, you get half the knowledge in the classroom, and the other half you get from your fellow students. The Menlo residential experience is unique and it’s safe and it’s small. It’s part of our secret sauce.”
So Arrillaga and Keenan went to work, and the result is a residence hall to be proud of-thanks to many, but principally to the two of them and trustee David Irmer ’58. Student Government President Raymond Juballa ’23 added his praise and thanks on behalf of the students. “When I look at this building, I see opportunity. I see a future. I see a community. This building has done so much more than just house students. It has brought together so much of the campus, serving as a central location for all people to come together, celebrate diversity, all their abilities and all their interests. Thank you all.”
President Weiner expressed his regret that John Arrillaga didn’t live to see the building open. “In the months after John passed away, many of our students would ask me, ‘Where’s the guy in the golf cart?’ It was a sad thing for me to relive because I miss him. He was tough, but he was a pretty wonderful person. And what he brought to Menlo College was pretty wonderful.”
Menlo College, established in 1927, is a small, private, non-profit, and accredited residential college located in Atherton, California. Menlo College offers four-year undergraduate degrees in Business and Psychology, as well as two graduate degrees: a Master of Science in Information Systems and a Master of Arts in Sport and Performance Psychology. Located in Silicon Valley, one of the world’s most entrepreneurial and innovative regions, Menlo College creates a valuable market niche for its students on both local and global stages. The College fosters skills, integrity, and passion in its students, empowering them to make meaningful contributions in today's dynamic innovation economy.