LOS ANGELES – The Basil P. Caloyeras Center for Modern Greek Studies at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) honored philanthropist Rosalind Farmans Halikis on November 12 with the 2023 Zoe Caloyera Distinguished Lecture and Recognition Award.

The Center’s Director Dr. Christina Bogdanou and Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts Dean Robbin Crabtree welcomed the honoree to LMU on behalf of the University. The award was presented by Dr. Nasreen Babu-Khan, the founder of the Zoe Caloyera Distinguished Lecture and Recognition Award Fund in honor of her grandmother Zoe Caloyera, the matriarch of the Caloyeras family who immigrated with her husband Basil P. Caloyeras to the U.S. in the 1960s.

Tributes by Dr. Babu-Khan, Fr. Michael Courey, LMU faculty and Rosalind’s long time parish priest at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach, California, her son Dr. Nick Halikis, her son-in-law George Mitsanas, and her grandson Michael Mitsanas, all spoke about her warmth and empathy, her curiosity and love for life-long learning, her resilience and resolve.

Rosalind Farmans Halikis was born to Greek immigrant parents who came to the U.S. from Kastellorizo. From humble beginnings in Weirton, West Virginia, Rosalind went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree with honors in Medical Technology at the University of West Virginia and worked in the department of bacteriology and parasitology before starting her family. In addition to helping with the PTA and receiving the PTA Continued Service Award, Rosalind dedicated her energy and talents to the St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach as the Chair of the Scholarship and Stewardship Committees and a contributing member of the Capital Campaign Committee. She had a second career at USC for several years as Assistant Director of Academic Relations in the School of Letters, Arts & Sciences. She was the co-president of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute Southern California Women’s Board and received the Archdiocesan Medal of St. Paul in 2013 for her long-time service. A dedicated philanthropist, Rosalind became the Anchor Donor to Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center for the Women and Children’s Health Campaign in 2015. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute at Berkeley. Her endowed gift to the Caloyeras Center in 2014 has established the Rosalind Farmans Halikis Scholarship that provides tuition support to students minoring in Modern Greek Studies.

In accepting the award, Rosalind Halikis traced the roots of her generosity back to her family: “our childhood was filled with love, hard work, and our church. We grew up with love for community; always with open hearts for those in need. It is a privilege to be able to give back in ways that support our Greek heritage.”

This annual event brings to the LMU campus outstanding individuals in the fields of art, culture, science, and public life relevant to the ongoing work of the Caloyeras Center for Modern Greek Studies. It is made possible through the generous support and commitment of Dr. Nasreen Babu-Khan and Dr. Howard Lehrhoff to Hellenic Studies and the Southern California Greek-American community.