12 During the dedication of NSU’s first building, donor Edwin R. Rosenthal described it as “the proudest day of my life” and urged all 500 attendees to “take an interest in helping Nova become one of the outstanding universities in the United States.” LEADING WITH HEART Without the support of industrialist; banker; and Miramar, Florida, founder Abraham (Abe) Mailman, the dream of establishing a research university in Broward County might never have materialized. When Nova fell short on the down payment for 125 acres of land, Mailman stepped in to bridge the gap. Beyond funding, he leveraged his network to attract donors, contributed business expertise, and championed early childhood research that gained national recognition. His daughter Marilyn (Mickey) Segal later became one of Nova’s first doctoral graduates and the forerunner of this research. Nova’s first completed building owes its existence to a chance encounter with gratitude. Edwin M. Rosenthal, who left school in the fourth grade to help his family and later built a fortune in jewelry, underwent lifesaving heart surgery performed by Myron Segal—Mickey’s husband. When Rosenthal asked how he could repay the favor, Segal suggested donations to Memorial Hospital and Nova. Another pivotal figure, Louis W. Parker, brought a legacy of innovation to Nova’s story. During World War II, Parker revolutionized portable communication with radio transmitters for military use through his company, Parker Instrument Corporation. NASA later used his instruments in the Apollo moon missions, and his invention of a critical television component remains a cornerstone of modern technology. Parker’s $1-million gift allowed Nova to relocate its scientists from a downtown storefront to a purpose-built hub for discovery. (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11)
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