A major benefactress to the university and its first woman regent, she finances an international architectural competition in the late 1800s to produce a new look for the campus.
John Galen Howard
Hired in 1901 as university supervising architect, he’s the fourth place winner in Hearst’s competition. He finds winner Emile Bénard’s design “utterly impractical” and develops his own. It includes a centerpiece bell tower.
Jane Sather
Another early donor to the university in the early 1900s, she requests the Jane K. Sather Campanile and provides $225,000 for the project, including bells. She dies in 1911; construction begins in 1913.
Ronald Barnes
UC Berkeley becomes internationally known for modern carillon music because of Barnes, who as carillonist from 1982-1995 creates music based solely on the carillon’s unique sounds. Previously, carillonists adapted music from other instruments to the carillon.
John C. Merriam
This paleontologist and alumnus, who joins the faculty in 1894, leads large-scale excavations at the La Brea tar pits in Southern California. The Campanile becomes home to these bones.
Benjamin Ide Wheeler
During his 20 years (1899-1915) as university president, 11 permanent buildings are erected, including the tower. The number of students, faculty and departments grows; UC divisions and programs are added elsewhere in California; research is encouraged and the Graduate Division is established.
Margaret Murdock
For 60 years, she plays the Campanile bells. After graduating from the UC in 1918 with an economics degree, she earns her M.A., then becomes a campus education credentials counselor. She first plays the bells in 1923 and retires in 1983; the carillon keyboard is named after her.
Jerry and Evelyn Chambers
A gift from the Chamberses and others in the Class of 1928 provides new bells for the Campanile in the late ‘70s. In the ‘80s, the couple’s generosity also funds an international bell festival, the University Carillonist position, a campanology library, practice rooms and keyboards, and a carillon festival every five years.
Paul Debevec
An alumnus, he creates “The Campanile Movie,” a short film that premieres in 1997 at an L.A. computer graphics convention. Its novel virtual cinematography techniques are used for the 1999 hit movie “The Matrix.”
Jeff Davis
University Carillonist from 2000-2024, Davis’ program to teach a new generation of carillonists is the nation’s most extensive one. In 2014, his former student Brian Tang placed second at the world’s most prestigious carillon competition – the International Carillon Competition Queen Fabiola in Belgium.
