UCLA will bestow its highest honor on three people for their long-standing support of higher education and distinguished professional and philanthropic achievements.

At separate commencement ceremonies this month, the UCLA Medal will be presented to philanthropists, business and civic leaders Eli and Edythe Broad, and to award-winning writer, producer and director Samuel Goldwyn Jr.

"Eli and Edythe Broad and Samuel Goldwyn Jr. have made extraordinary contributions to UCLA," Chancellor Albert Carnesale said. "We are deeply grateful for their vision, leadership and support. I am delighted to award them with the UCLA Medal as a token of our appreciation and in recognition of all that they have done for the university and the larger community."

Samuel Goldwyn Jr. will receive the UCLA Medal at commencement ceremonies for the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, scheduled for 4 p.m., Friday, June 16, at Dickson Court North. He is chairman and chief executive officer of The Samuel Goldwyn Co., which includes feature film development, production and distribution, and is a longtime member of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His Hollywood career spans five decades and includes an Emmy Award and several Oscar nominations. Goldywn's foundation supports causes primarily related to education, child services and health. He is a longtime supporter of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Most notably, the foundation is in its 51st year of sponsoring the Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards for University of California students.

Eli and Edythe Broad will receive the UCLA Medal at commencement ceremonies for the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, scheduled for 4 p.m., Saturday, June 17, at Dickson Court North. Eli Broad also will be the keynote speaker. The Broads have been longtime supporters of education, including UCLA. The couple founded The Broad Foundations as a Los Angeles-based venture philanthropy focused on entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts. The Broads' $23.2 million gift to UCLA made possible construction of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Center, the new home for the school's visual arts programs, scheduled to open later this year. In addition, they have been active in Los Angeles civic affairs, including efforts to revitalize the downtown area and, through The Broad Art Foundation lending library, have made their extensive art collection available to more than 400 museums and university galleries worldwide.

On April 21, Carnesale presented the UCLA Medal to alumni Marion and Bob Wilson for their leadership in philanthropy and volunteer service. Bob Wilson served as chairman of Campaign UCLA, which raised more than $3 billion over 10 years before concluding last December. Marion Wilson is a member of the UCLA Foundation Board of Governors and past president of UCLA Women & Philanthropy. The Wilsons have personally endowed student fellowships and scholarships, funded a lounge for UCLA medical students, and made many other financial contributions to units across the campus. Wilson Plaza, at the base of the landmark Janss Steps, was named in their honor in 2000.

The UCLA Medal is the university's highest honor. Recipients have included heads of state; renowned scientists, artists and scholars; peacemakers; social reformers; and visionaries in the realm of commercial enterprise. Among the past recipients are former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; actors Laurence Oliver, Carol Burnett and Anthony Hopkins; writers Neil Simon and Isaac Bashevis Singer; and composers Henry Mancini and Quincy Jones.

About UCLA

California's largest university, UCLA enrolls approximately 38,000 students per year and offers degrees from the College of Letters and Science and 11 professional schools in dozens of varied disciplines. UCLA consistently ranks among the top five universities and colleges nationwide in total research-and-development spending, receiving more than $820 million a year in competitively awarded federal and state grants and contracts. For every $1 state taxpayers invest in UCLA, the university generates almost $9 in economic activity, resulting in an annual $6 billion economic impact on the Greater Los Angeles region. The university's health care network treats 450,000 patients per year. UCLA employs more than 27,000 faculty and staff, has more than 350,000 living alumni, and has been home to five Nobel Prize recipients.

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