UCLA alumni and longtime supporters establish an endowed chair in the College’s Division of Social Sciences
Alumni Meyer Luskin ’49 and his wife, Renee ’53, and Ralph Shapiro ’53, J.D. ’58 and his wife, Shirley ’59, have jointly established the Scott Waugh Endowed Chair in the Division of Social Sciences, one of the few divisional endowed chairs in the College of Letters and Science.
The honoree, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh, said, “That four such generous and loyal alumni as the Shapiros and the Luskins have chosen to honor me in this way is truly humbling. Their gift is especially meaningful because of the commitment it demonstrates to UCLA’s academic excellence now and long into the future. Great faculty are essential to that excellence and endowed chairs help us attract and sustain the finest.”
Endowed chairs continue to play an increasingly crucial role in the recruitment and retention of outstanding university faculty. When formally approved by the University of California Office of the President, the Waugh Chair will be awarded to a social sciences faculty member who will receive funds to support his or her research and teaching activities.
“The Luskins and the Shapiros have once again demonstrated their legendary generosity and unwavering support to UCLA,” said Alessandro Duranti, Dean of the Division of Social Sciences. “Named for a generous and visionary leader on this campus, the Waugh Chair will have a far-reaching impact, providing the much needed flexibility to address faculty support in a range of areas across the Division.”
Waugh first came to UCLA as a student, graduating summa cum laude in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in history. In 1975, after earning a Ph.D. from the University of London, he returned to UCLA to teach in the history department. He served as Dean of the Division of Social Sciences for 14 years, and was appointed Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost in 2008. He has received honors, fellowships and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Philosophical Society. He also received the UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award, the Harvey L. Eby Award for the Art of Teaching, the UC President’s Fellowship in the Humanities, and a UCLA Faculty Development Award.
Ralph Shapiro, chair of Avondale Investment Partners, said, “Scott Waugh embodies UCLA’s commitment to excellence and service. We are delighted to be able to recognize his many years of tireless dedication to the university that gave us both a great education and a head start in our professional lives.”
Meyer Luskin president, CEO and chairman of Scope Industries, added, “It gives me enormous pleasure to join forces with Ralph in establishing this chair in honor of such a deserving individual, whose leadership has helped maintain UCLA’s place among the greatest universities in the world.”
Ralph Shapiro earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1953 and his J.D. in 1958, both from UCLA. He and his wife, Shirley ’59 are the founders of the Shapiro Family Charitable Foundation. A prominent campus landmark, the Shirley and Ralph Shapiro Fountain at the top of Janss Steps was named in recognition of the couple’s longstanding commitment to the university.
Meyer Luskin credits a $30 scholarship with allowing him to continue his UCLA studies, which were interrupted by his military service in World War II. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1949, and his MBA from Stanford. Luskin and his wife, Renee ’53, have established several endowments at UCLA, one of which is the second largest gift ever received by the university. The Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center (due to open in 2016) are named in their honor.
