Outstanding Community Leadership
and Faculty Excellence honored at UCSD Event

Chancellor's Medal recipients Maurice and Charmaine Kaplan with Chancellor Fox

Campus and community leaders joined members of the UCSD Chancellor's Associates Thursday to honor community leaders Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan and outstanding faculty members at the annual "Town and Gown" event.

The ceremony, held at the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre at the La Jolla Playhouse, featured the presentation of the Chancellor's Medal and the Chancellor's Associates annual Faculty Excellence Awards, granted to five faculty members in the areas of research, teaching and community service.

Chancellor's Medal

(L-R) Peter Gourevitch, David Lake, Chancellor Fox, Steve Erie, Miroslav Krstic, and Karen Dobkins

The Chancellor's Medal was presented to the Kaplans by Chancellor Marye Anne Fox in recognition of their extraordinary dedication to the university and the San Diego community.

"It is a profound honor to present the Chancellor's Medal to two people who have displayed endless dedication to the growth of our university and the betterment of the San Diego community," said Chancellor Fox. "San Diego is truly blessed by the generosity of Charmaine and Maury."

Community leaders from throughout San Diego, including Ian Campbell, general director of the San Diego Opera; Stephen L. Weber, president of San Diego State University; and Charles F. Kennel, director of Scipps Institution of Oceanography, paid inspiring tributes to the Kaplans remarkable contributions through speeches and video.

"For many years Charmaine and Maury have given generously to San Diego's arts, cultural and education institutions," said Weber. "Their support of local universities is making a difference and opening doors for outstanding students and faculty."

The Kaplans were chosen for this honor for their longstanding commitment to the UCSD campus for nearly 20 years, and in particular for their dedication to programs that serve the greater San Diego community, including the Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center, the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center and the UCSD Stroke Center. They have furthered meaningful research in marine genomics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and their leadership gift helped establish the Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan Laboratory for Marine Cancer Drug Discovery. They have also supported promising individuals through scholarships, lectureships and fellowships. Additionally, Maury has served as a founding member on the Scripps Director's Cabinet, on the UC San Diego Foundation Board and Cancer Center Foundation Board, and Charmaine has served as president of the University Art Gallery Advisory Board.

The Kaplans have also been active visionaries throughout the region, extending generous support to a number of organizations, including the La Jolla Playhouse, Mingei International Museum, Oceanside Museum of Art, San Diego Opera, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego State University and others.

Past recipients of the Chancellor's Medal include Neil Morgan (2000), Malin Burnham (2002), Darlene Shiley (2003) and Charlie Robins (2003).

Faculty Excellence Awards

Prior to the presentation of the Chancellor's Medal, the Chancellor's Associates presented the 2005 Faculty Excellence Awards. Each recipient was awarded a $2,500 honorarium for his or her contributions to the university and the community. Award candidates were nominated by their academic peers, with the final selection by a committee comprised of Chancellor's Associates members.

"It is a great honor for the Chancellor's Associates to present the Faculty Excellence Awards each year," said Steve Schreiner '80, Chancellor's Associates chair. "These awards are a great way for our members to let the faculty know how appreciative we are of everything they do for the university, the students and the entire San Diego community."

The recipients of the 2005 Chancellor's Associates Faculty Excellence Awards were: Steven Erie, professor of political science, for excellence in community service; David Lake, professor of political science, for excellence in graduate teaching; Peter Gourevitch, professor at the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, for research in arts, humanities and social sciences; Miroslav Krstic, professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, for excellence in research in science and engineering; and Karen Dobkins, professor of psychology, for excellence in undergraduate teaching.

The Chancellor's Associates have been awarding the Faculty Excellence Awards annually since 1974. For more information on Chancellor's Associates, visit: http://chancellorsassociates.ucsd.edu/index.htm.