Gold Shield History

On a Saturday afternoon in 1936, a group of twelve dedicated young UCLA alumnae gathered with a common purpose: an intense interest in the future growth of UCLA and the desire to support it. They saw the need for a permanent organization of alumnae to promote relations between the new campus and the community. Within a few months, Gold Shield presented its first elegant salon honoring the wife of the University president, followed by a series of salons introducing outstanding faculty members to the "town."

In 1939, Gold Shield responded to the Alumni Association's need for assistance with its new Scholarship Program and launched a mailing effort to raise funds for Gold Shield's first two $150 freshman scholarships, which were awarded that year. That campaign continued as an annual Dollar Drive that, together with other fundraising efforts, has since providedmore than a million dollars for hundreds of merit-based scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000 in all academic fields. By 1946, contributors, together with scholarship students and friends of the University, were honored at an annual Donors' Tea. In 1956, the Donors' Tea and faculty salons were combined in a fall Champagne Reception to thank contributors and to honor outstanding members of the University community.

To assure the continuation of scholarship funding, Gold Shield established an Endowment Fund in 1951. Its goal of $10,000 was reached within ten years and other funds, endowed by generous benefactors, have further increased the available resources. As a partner to the (renamed) Drive for Dollars, a Gold Shield tradition-to-be made its debut in 1955: the Spring Benefit. The ensuing series of annual parties, creatively staged with new and exciting themes each year, became known as "one of the best parties in town for the money."

At a special event marking the group's thirtieth anniversary, Chancellor Franklin Murphy challenged Gold Shield to expand its concepts and extend its programs. Within a year, Gold Shield had commissioned a history of the University. UCLA on the Move, an illustrated account of UCLA's first fifty years, was published on the occasion of the University's golden anniversary in 1969. A second publication, a souvenir booklet with color photography of the campus, was completed eleven years later, to provide seed money for Gold Shield's fiftieth anniversary gift.

In the late 1960's, responding to the need for better campus communication, the UCLA Alumni Association and Gold Shield originated a series of alumni-hosted dinners with volunteer guests selected from faculty, students, and alumni. The Dinners for 12 Strangers grew to include hundreds each year and in 1986 became a project of Prytanean Alumnae, the UCLA Alumni Association, and the Student Alumni Association. This program has been emulated by other campuses and organizations.

In 1971, Gold Shield began its support of the Library's Oral History Program of taped interviews and bound volumes documenting important events and people in Southern California and University history. Not only has Gold Shield contributed more than $150,000 to Oral History projects, the organization also donated to the campaigns to construct the John R. Wooden Center, Pauley Pavilion, and the James E. West Alumni Center. In 1982, Gold Shield, Alumnae of UCLA became a California nonprofit corporation.

To mark Gold Shield's fiftieth anniversary in 1986, its Special Projects Committee searched for a worthwhile gift to the University and conceived the idea for the Gold Shield Faculty Prize, an Award for Academic Excellence. The goal was the development of a Prize that would provide recognition and reward to mid-career faculty in UCLA departments with undergraduate degree programs. This focus was selected because faculty at this time in a career often do not receive the extra professional incentives available to distinguished senior faculty. Following a two-year campaign, the goal of $250,000 was achieved and the Faculty Prize endowment was established in the UCLA Foundation. This endowment has grown to more than $450,000. The first Prize was awarded in 1986 and has been awarded biennially in amounts of approximately $30,000 to an outstanding UCLA faculty member. In 2006, Gold Shield decided to award the two-year prize annually, alternating between candidates from the North campus and those from the South campus.

In 2000, Gold Shield, the College of Letters and Science, and the Gold Shield Faculty Prize recipients inaugurated the Gold Shield Faculty Prize Course. Approximately every other quarter, a Faculty Prize recipient designed and taught an innovative lecture-discussion class that brought leading research ideas into the classroom for general education students. Gold Shield funds were used to support Teaching Assistants, and the organization worked closely with the College to promote the availability of the courses to all UCLA undergraduates. Several such courses were available from 2000-2005.

In 2004, Gold Shield stepped forward to help launch another major project by providing $100,000 seed money to help fund the writing of a new history of UCLA. It has been 35 years since UCLA on the Move was published and much has occurred at UCLA since that time. Gold Shield is working hand in hand with the Alumni Association on this project. The book will be published in the fall of 2008. The history book has led to the larger and all encompassing UCLA History Project. Efforts are made to attract material donations for the university Archives and Special Collections.

The members of Gold Shield now number 150, all selected for their loyal service to UCLA and outstanding achievements professionally and in the community. Membership is by invitation. Most Gold Shield members are actively involved in other UCLA support organizations. In addition, they consistently serve as officers and members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and The UCLA Foundation Board of Governors, as well as other advisory boards across the campus. Three Gold Shield members have sat on the Board of Regents of the University of California.

Gold Shield's roots are firmly imbedded in a tradition of service to UCLA and a strong working relationship with the UCLA Alumni Association. Since the organization has no paid staff, there is an esprit de corps in Gold Shield that grows with each challenge, a spirit that was instilled at its founding and continues to this day.

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			GOLD SHIELD, ALUMNAE OF UCLA

	Click on button ! Home Welcome History Membership Scholarship Faculty Prize Oral History Gold Standard How to Contribute How to Contact Click on button !		GOLD SHIELD HISTORY On a Saturday afternoon in 1936, a group of twelve dedicated young UCLA alumnae gathered with a common purpose: an intense interest in the future growth of UCLA and the desire to support it. They saw the need for a permanent organization of alumnae to promote relations between the new campus and the community. Within a few months, Gold Shield presented its first elegant salon honoring the wife of the University president, followed by a series of salons introducing outstanding faculty members to the "town." In 1939, Gold Shield responded to the Alumni Association's need for assistance with its new Scholarship Program and launched a mailing effort to raise funds for Gold Shield's first two $150 freshman scholarships, which were awarded that year. That campaign continued as an annual Dollar Drive that, together with other fundraising efforts, has since providedmore than a million dollars for hundreds of merit-based scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000 in all academic fields. By 1946, contributors, together with scholarship students and friends of the University, were honored at an annual Donors' Tea. In 1956, the Donors' Tea and faculty salons were combined in a fall Champagne Reception to thank contributors and to honor outstanding members of the University community. To assure the continuation of scholarship funding, Gold Shield established an Endowment Fund in 1951. Its goal of $10,000 was reached within ten years and other funds, endowed by generous benefactors, have further increased the available resources. As a partner to the (renamed) Drive for Dollars, a Gold Shield tradition-to-be made its debut in 1955: the Spring Benefit. The ensuing series of annual parties, creatively staged with new and exciting themes each year, became known as "one of the best parties in town for the money." At a special event marking the group's thirtieth anniversary, Chancellor Franklin Murphy challenged Gold Shield to expand its concepts and extend its programs. Within a year, Gold Shield had commissioned a history of the University. UCLA on the Move, an illustrated account of UCLA's first fifty years, was published on the occasion of the University's golden anniversary in 1969. A second publication, a souvenir booklet with color photography of the campus, was completed eleven years later, to provide seed money for Gold Shield's fiftieth anniversary gift. In the late 1960's, responding to the need for better campus communication, the UCLA Alumni Association and Gold Shield originated a series of alumni-hosted dinners with volunteer guests selected from faculty, students, and alumni. The Dinners for 12 Strangers grew to include hundreds each year and in 1986 became a project of Prytanean Alumnae, the UCLA Alumni Association, and the Student Alumni Association. This program has been emulated by other campuses and organizations. In 1971, Gold Shield began its support of the Library's Oral History Program of taped interviews and bound volumes documenting important events and people in Southern California and University history. Not only has Gold Shield contributed more than $150,000 to Oral History projects, the organization also donated to the campaigns to construct the John R. Wooden Center, Pauley Pavilion, and the James E. West Alumni Center. In 1982, Gold Shield, Alumnae of UCLA became a California nonprofit corporation. To mark Gold Shield's fiftieth anniversary in 1986, its Special Projects Committee searched for a worthwhile gift to the University and conceived the idea for the Gold Shield Faculty Prize, an Award for Academic Excellence. The goal was the development of a Prize that would provide recognition and reward to mid-career faculty in UCLA departments with undergraduate degree programs. This focus was selected because faculty at this time in a career often do not receive the extra professional incentives available to distinguished senior faculty. Following a two-year campaign, the goal of $250,000 was achieved and the Faculty Prize endowment was established in the UCLA Foundation. This endowment has grown to more than $450,000. The first Prize was awarded in 1986 and has been awarded biennially in amounts of approximately $30,000 to an outstanding UCLA faculty member. In 2006, Gold Shield decided to award the two-year prize annually, alternating between candidates from the North campus and those from the South campus. In 2000, Gold Shield, the College of Letters and Science, and the Gold Shield Faculty Prize recipients inaugurated the Gold Shield Faculty Prize Course. Approximately every other quarter, a Faculty Prize recipient designed and taught an innovative lecture-discussion class that brought leading research ideas into the classroom for general education students. Gold Shield funds were used to support Teaching Assistants, and the organization worked closely with the College to promote the availability of the courses to all UCLA undergraduates. Several such courses were available from 2000-2005. In 2004, Gold Shield stepped forward to help launch another major project by providing $100,000 seed money to help fund the writing of a new history of UCLA. It has been 35 years since UCLA on the Move was published and much has occurred at UCLA since that time. Gold Shield is working hand in hand with the Alumni Association on this project. The book will be published in the fall of 2008. The history book has led to the larger and all encompassing UCLA History Project. Efforts are made to attract material donations for the university Archives and Special Collections. The members of Gold Shield now number 150, all selected for their loyal service to UCLA and outstanding achievements professionally and in the community. Membership is by invitation. Most Gold Shield members are actively involved in other UCLA support organizations. In addition, they consistently serve as officers and members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and The UCLA Foundation Board of Governors, as well as other advisory boards across the campus. Three Gold Shield members have sat on the Board of Regents of the University of California. Gold Shield's roots are firmly imbedded in a tradition of service to UCLA and a strong working relationship with the UCLA Alumni Association. Since the organization has no paid staff, there is an esprit de corps in Gold Shield that grows with each challenge, a spirit that was instilled at its founding and continues to this day. 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