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Giving
Dominic Tarantino ’54 Gives $1M to USF in Memory of Leona Tarantino ’54
Mrs. Leona Tarantino had a way of bringing beauty into the world. From her style of dress and flower arranging, to painting and drawing, she imbued everything in her life with an artistic element — she had an eye for aesthetics.
When Dominic Tarantino was stationed for two years with the U.S. Army in Ulm, Germany, Leona Tarantino put her talents to work at Christmas. She applied devotion and care to crafting individually hand-painted cards for friends and family. The mementos were beloved by all who received them, and it became a tradition for the whole family to help her stuff envelopes late into the night during the festive season.
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Long before their stint in Germany, the two met while Dominic Tarantino attended St. Ignatius High School (now the Koret Center) and Leona Tarantino attended Presentation Academy (now the USF School of Education building.) After high school, they enrolled at USF and Lone Mountain College, respectively. The lifelong couple married shortly after graduation and enjoyed 67 years of marriage.
On what would have been their 70th wedding anniversary, Mr. Tarantino spoke about his motivation to create a fine arts scholarship in Leona Tarantino’s name.
“Going to Lone Mountain was a happy thing for her, it was where she developed on her journey as an artist. Art became even more important to Leona after her Lone Mountain experience,” said Tarantino.
I wanted to enshrine that in the records. Giving, in her honor, is to perpetuate a remembrance of how much she loved being up on the Hilltop.”
Their daughter, Leanne Tarantino ’90, added, “I know the beauty of Lone Mountain — the views — definitely inspired her as an artist. She had an eye for aesthetics and beauty and wanted to bring that forward in her drawings and paintings.”
Mrs. Tarantino was well inclined as an artist before coming to college and earned her degree in art history with a minor in English. Mr. Tarantino credits her higher education for helping shape her artistic style.
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“We have some of her [sketch] books from high school, and she emulated Walt Disney cartoons,” he said. “It was really nicely done. When she went to Lone Mountain, it further developed her thinking about art, and she learned how to create perspective in paintings.”
Tarantino has supported USF for his entire adult life. He was student body president and Alumni Association president. He served on the Board of Trustees for 18 years — and as chairman from 1999-2003. He is a Trustee Emeritus and a longtime supporter of many campus initiatives. With regard to this impactful new gift, Tarantino shared that Leona Tarantino would have wanted to bolster the USF experience for art students in the present day because she was an artist who believed that art should be seen and enjoyed by many.
In addition to providing lasting scholarship support for fine arts majors at USF, the gift will also include a named space, The LAT Gallery (Leona A. Tarantino ’54) within the Ann Getty Institute of Art and Design. Tarantino hopes that the space will help students celebrate their creations, share their work with the community, and find meaning for themselves.
Tarantino said, “[Leona would want] students to find in their art the opportunity to convey a wish or aspiration — and find comfort in doing it that way.”
This gift to USF in Leona’s name thoughtfully ensures that our students will thrive in excellent arts programs. Dominic and the Tarantino family enjoy a long and deep friendship with the Jesuits and with USF. This newest investment in our arts programming continues the legacy of Leona as a very talented artist herself. I am grateful that her creative spirit will live on to inspire our student artists who bring beauty into the world in the Jesuit tradition, and in service to others.”
USF President Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J.
Learn more about giving to scholarships at USF here.
