Local philanthropist Conrad Prebys has given UCSD $500,000 to endow a presidential chair in music to support scholarly activity and graduate fellowships, the school announced May 7.
The gift was matched by the University of California system, to bring the total to $1 million.
Prebys, a longtime supporter of UCSD arts and humanities programs, said music is a “true passion” for him.
“The creation of the Conrad Prebys Presidential Chair in Music is a testament to the value that I place on the long-term sustainability of the UC San Diego Division of Arts and Humanities and faculty achievement,” Prebys said. “Endowed chairs are critical to attracting and retaining exceptional scholars.”
Under an initiative created by the University of California, UCSD hopes to gain eight presidential chair endowments, which will be used to recruit and retain top faculty.
Prebys previously gave $6 million to create the Conrad Prebys Music Center and its concert hall and $3 million for another music endowment, according to UCSD.
— City News Service