This building, originally erected in 1922 as the home of President and Mrs. Remsen D. Bird, after serving interim uses was remodeled into the Office of Admission in 1997. In 2002 it was renamed the Dennis and Mollie Collins Admission House in recognition of their longtime association with and support of Occidental College, and in appreciation of the generosity of The James Irvine Foundation of which Mr. Collins was president from 1986 to 2002.

Dennis Collins, after earning bachelor and master of arts degrees from Stanford University, joined the Occidental admission staff in 1963 as an assistant director, advancing to director of admission in 1965. In 1968 he was named dean of students, a position held until 1970 when he became headmaster of the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. In 1974, he returned to California to become founding headmaster of San Francisco University High School, and in 1986 was appointed Irvine Foundation president and chief executive officer.

Dennis Collins was elected to the Occidental Board of Trustees in 2000. Throughout his career, he has held numerous other trustee and director roles in educational and philanthropic bodies. Mills College and the University of San Diego have granted him honorary degrees.

Dennis Collins and Mollie Paul met and were married when he was on the Occidental admission staff. They have two daughters, Lindsey, who graduated from Occidental in 1994, and Jenifer. Mollie Collins is the founder of Belvedere Partners, an executive search firm.

By Jean Paule