David Geffen, pictured center with UC Regent Sherry Lansing (left) and UCLA Chancellor Gene Block (right), at the 2014 Hippocratic Oath Ceremony, where he received the UCLA Medal.
Mr. David Geffen
Over his remarkable career, David Geffen has made an indelible mark on the fields of film, theater and, most notably, music, where he created the enormously successful record companies Asylum and Geffen Records. He also served for more than a decade as a principal partner in DreamWorks SKG, the multifaceted entertainment company he co-founded.
Mr. Geffen has made significant contributions to science through his support of AIDS-related work, medical education and research. He was already a well-known philanthropist when, in 2002, he made a $200-million unrestricted gift to UCLA's medical school. It has been a key factor in propelling the school, renamed the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in recognition of the historic commitment, to its current status as a world-class education and research institution. In 2012, he made another transformative gift, establishing the $100-million, merit-based David Geffen Medical Scholarships, which cover the entire cost of a medical education for nearly 20 percent of entering students, allowing them to pursue their passions and graduate debt-free. Far beyond UCLA, this gift has proved to be catalytic in stimulating peer institutions to substantially increase financial support for medical students.
Mr. Geffen has been honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He serves on the Geffen Playhouse Board of Directors, is a former Regent of the University of California, and exemplifies the optimism and spirit of innovation that are hallmarks of UCLA.
UCLA’s new medical education building, Geffen Hall—named in honor of David Geffen’s extraordinary generosity and vision— is designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork, leverage technology, and provide flexible spaces that can continually adapt to innovations in curricula, teaching tools, and learning styles. Learn More >
