Atherton, CA – May 12, 2025 — A striking new sculpture has been installed on the Menlo College campus. Titled Impact, the piece was commissioned by Menlo alumnus and trustee David Irmer (’58, ’H22) and created by Los Gatos-based sculptor David Middlebrook. Installed outside John Arrillaga Hall, Menlo’s newest residence hall, Impact joins a growing collection of public artworks that enrich campus life and reflect the College’s deepening integration of art and education.
Commissioned in March 2023, shortly after the September 2022 opening of Arrillaga Hall, Impact will be formally dedicated in a private ceremony on Friday, May 16, 2025. The event will recognize the artist and donor. Taking place one day before the 97th Menlo College Commencement ceremony, the reception will also honor the Menlo College Class of 2025 and their families.
Middlebrook’s Impact draws on deep historical and cultural symbolism. A canoe delicately balances atop a hand-carved Italian Carrara marble column crafted in 1519, the same year Hernán Cortés first set foot in the Americas. This balancing act evokes the fragility of early relationships between Native Americans and Europeans. Beneath, a crushed helmet and a toppled column represent the violent clash of civilizations that followed. In contrast, a pristine helmet atop the toppled column serves as a quiet testament to resilience and the enduring hope for understanding and progress.
The installation is the latest reflection of Menlo’s ongoing commitment to integrating art across its 40-acre Silicon Valley campus. Following the Silicon Valley Sculpture exhibitions held in 2020, 2021, and 2022, Menlo has continued to showcase public artworks by artists such as Ruth Aizuss Migdal, Foon Sham, Antoinette Schultze, and Priyanka Rana. Several works now remain on permanent display, enriching campus life and broadening student perspectives.
“Art provides a chance for our students to embrace the unknown, expand their worldview, and be inspired,” said Menlo College President Steven Weiner. “Impact embodies this ethos, offering a space for reflection and deeper learning.”
As Menlo College approaches its centennial in 2027, Impact represents another step in advancing the College’s mission to provide an education rooted in business and psychology, and enriched by creativity, culture, and global awareness.
Contact Information:
Press Contact: pr@menlo.edu
About Menlo College:
Menlo College is a small private, nonprofit college founded in 1927 with a mission to “ignite potential and educate students to make meaningful contributions in the innovation economy.” Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, Menlo College offers undergraduate degrees in business and psychology, as well as three graduate degrees: a Master of Science in Information Systems, a Master of Science in Financial Technology, and a Master of Arts in Sport and Performance Psychology. Menlo is designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving (AANAPISI) Institution.
