Dave and Alicia Abell '76 Create a Legacy of Hope at UC Irvine Built on a Lifelong Love of Learning
As they settle into retirement in a coastal town 700 miles north of Irvine, nestled amid redwoods, Alicia Susong Abell and Dave Abell are focused on giving back. The couple supports their local hospital, food bank, library, church – and life-changing research at Alicia's alma mater.
"I had such a great experience at UCI," says Alicia, who earned a bachelor's in psychology and an elementary teaching credential at UC Irvine in 1976. "UCI fostered my love of learning. My education was challenging, enriching, full of great learning with amazing professors who stretched my thinking and got me curious enough to go to the library and find out more about a topic."
The Abells have made donations to UC Irvine over the years, but during a recent update to their trust, they significantly boosted their support with the goal of not only advancing learning for future generations, but also finding new treatments for depression, which has affected Alicia her entire life.
"Philanthropy was and is fundamental for us," says Dave. "We do not have children, and we believe our responsibility is to look to generations coming after us."
Alicia adds, "It feels wonderful to say, ‘I received.' But now it's the time for me to give back so others can receive."
The couple's life together began when they met at the interfaith center across the street from UC Irvine, where they connected over a shared faith and love of music. Once married, they moved around for Dave's job with Hewlett Packard. Alicia worked as a special education teacher, a church musician and, ultimately, an ordained minister. Her love of learning led her to earn three master's degrees and a doctorate in divinity.
Although they eventually settled in Northern California, the Abells never forgot their connection to UC Irvine. Their recent bequest will support the university's Noel Drury, M.D. Institute for Translational Depression Discoveries. Created in 2022, the Drury Institute aims to understand the origins, treatment and prevention of the mood disorder that affects 332 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
"New discoveries in this area are very important for me, since I have had severe depression all my life," says Alicia, who believes her mother and grandmother also experienced depression, although undiagnosed. "I'm hoping those who come after me will benefit from the institute's work and won't have to suffer from this devastating illness."
In 2025, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Ph.D. – a former Harvard University psychology professor and the founding director of McLean Hospital's Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research – joined UC Irvine to lead the Drury Institute. The Alicia Susong Abell and David Abell Fund, which will be worth an estimated $1.5 million, will perpetually provide support for the director's highest priorities.
"We are most grateful to Rev. Dr. and Mr. Abell for making this generous planned gift commitment to support the Drury Institute," says Pizzagalli. "Donors like the Abells can support our mission in a far greater way than they might have previously imagined. Upon receiving their gift, our institute will be better equipped to stay at the forefront of depression research while enhancing societal well-being by fostering more effective treatment and prevention strategies."
In the past, the Abells have chosen to keep their philanthropic giving anonymous. "However, we have come to realize that being open about our donations can be an example to others," Dave says. "We're also hoping others will give to UCI who have never given before. That makes it very meaningful and important for us to do so."
