West LA Times

During the 2023–2024 fiscal year, UCLA raised $856.5 million in new gifts and pledges, marking a significant increase of 24% over the previous year. This amount is the highest since the COVID-19 pandemic and the second-highest total in UCLA's history.

Donors from all 50 U.S. states and 60 other countries contributed more than 68,000 gifts, with 94% of these donations being less than $10,000 each. Alumni made up nearly half of the individual donors.

Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt remarked on this achievement: “Our broad community of supporters, both alumni and friends, stepped up this year in truly remarkable ways. Through their giving, they showed their continued confidence in UCLA’s role as a catalyst for transformation and positive change. Our donors’ gifts will elevate our work and power the university forward so that UCLA can make an even greater impact in California, our nation and the world.”

The funds raised will benefit various areas across campus, including students, faculty, researchers, patients, and local as well as global communities.

In terms of student support, donors created new scholarships and fellowships during the fiscal year. Notable contributions include a $100,000 pledge from alumnus Andrés Snaider and Stephanie Garriga-Snaider to fund study abroad opportunities for first-generation Latinx students; merit-based scholarships established by Rakesh Varma and Abha Varma; a $1.25 million bequest from Harold M. Matheson for dental students; and a $150,000 gift from Lauren E. Phillips' parents for undergraduate history majors.

Additional support for students included a $500,000 pledge to expand resources at the UCLA Basic Needs Center and contributions to mental health resources at the UCLA RISE Center.

Significant donations also targeted faculty support with funding for 25 new endowed chairs. These include a $2 million pledge establishing the Robert E. Archer Chair in Religion Studies at UCLA College and funding for the Antonia Hernández Endowed Chair in Civil Rights at UCLA School of Education.

Laura Lavado Parker, Associate Vice Chancellor for Development at UCLA said: “By creating new possibilities in scholarship, research, collaboration and creativity, charitable gifts support talented and deserving students, world-class faculty, game-changing research, community engagement and more.”

Several major gifts aim to advance understanding of societal issues. Meyer and Renee Luskin committed $25 million to name the Department of History after them while Irv Drasnin pledged $2.3 million to create a searchable news archive.

Support also extended to health-related research with significant donations like a $120 million commitment from Dr. Gary Michelson to accelerate vaccine development at the California Institute for Immunology & Immunotherapy housed at UCLA Research Park.

Vice Chancellor Rhea Turteltaub expressed gratitude towards former Chancellor Gene Block: “We are extraordinarily grateful to former Chancellor Gene Block... As we prepare to welcome Chancellor-designate Dr. Julio Frenk in January..."