Luskins gift $25M to UCLA Department of History for engagement in major

Bunche Hall, which hosts the offices of the UCLA Department of History, is pictured. UCLA alumni Meyer and Renee Luskin donated $25 million to the department, which will now be named after the couple. (Daily Bruin file photo)
By Jonah Danesh
Aug. 19, 2024 6:14 p.m.
This post was updated Aug. 25 at 11:22 p.m.
The UCLA Department of History has received a gift of $25 million from two alumni.
The Department of External Affairs announced July 16 that UCLA alumni Meyer and Renee Luskin donated the gift to the history department, with the couple saying their goal is to expand opportunities for students and for them to engage with history and build greater public appreciation for historical understanding.
The donation is the largest single donation ever received by the Department of History or the Division of Social Sciences according to the Department of External Affairs, which also said the history department will be renamed the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Department of History – the first academic department to be named in recognition of a donation.
The Luskins have previously supported other programs on campus, with the couple being the namesakes of the Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center.
Kevin Terraciano, the chair of the history department, said the gift enables the department to expand their outreach and impact beyond UCLA’s campus.
“This gift will enable us to enhance faculty recruitment efforts, graduate student recruitment and fellowship support, undergraduate programs,” he said. “It will also enable us to think creatively about what we can accomplish in the community, nationally and internationally.”
Terraciano added that the department also runs the Luskin Center for History and Policy, a public history initiative which aims to demonstrate the modern relevance of studying history.
Meyer Luskin, who graduated with a degree in economics in 1949, said history is important to consider when making informed decisions.
“Without a knowledge of history, you’re going to do some very foolish things because you’re going to repeat what people have done in the past who have not studied history and acted upon it,” he said.
Luskin added that it is important to provide educational opportunities to those from underprivileged backgrounds – which he hopes the gift will enable.
“It’s so important for society to enable those young people who come from areas of families that have no material wealth,” he said. “In that group of people, there’s a certain amount of Shakespeares. There’s an uncovered Einstein. … We’ve got to get those people an education.”
Luskin said he initially pursued a major in history at UCLA, driven by a deep passion for the subject. However, after serving in World War II, he returned to UCLA and switched his major to economics, motivated by what he viewed as the practical need to secure a stable financial future.
Through his contribution, Luskin said he aims to bridge the gap between academic interest and practical career prospects, ensuring that history remains a vital and respected discipline in society.
“If history departments don’t really get active in trying to be impartial, totally objective, or point out historical perspectives and analogies, we’re not doing our share for society,” he said.
Patricia Olvera, a rising fourth-year history student, reflected on the potential impact of the Luskins’ donation, particularly on programs like the Living New Deal initiative, in which she has been actively involved. According to its website, the Living New Deal project documents and uncovers the historical significance of buildings and organizations established during the New Deal era through interactive websites and mapping.
Olvera said this commitment to accessibility is a cornerstone of the Living New Deal project, adding that the donation will assist in the goal of the UCLA History Department by enhancing opportunities for students to engage with history.
Terraciano said the department plans to strengthen relationships with historical and artistic institutions in Los Angeles to provide more experiential learning opportunities for students.
“We really want to develop partnerships with the Hammer Museum, the Getty Research Institute, LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and other institutions,” he said. “With this support, we’ll be able to do these things.”
The Luskins’ donation will also support the department’s efforts to prepare history graduates for careers outside academia, Terraciano said.
Reflecting on the broader implications of their gift, Meyer Luskin expressed hope for the future of the history department.
“I hope UCLA leads the way in pointing out the value of history to society,” he said. ”They have to publish in a way not just for historians, but for newspapers and for legislators and for leaders.”