Letters to the Editor: Gratitude for the Luskins’ support of history and education

To the editor: As a UCLA alumna, I would like to publicly thank Meyer and Renee Luskin for their generous donations to UCLA, including the recent donation to the history department. I graduated UCLA with a bachelor of arts in history, and I share Meyer’s perspective regarding the importance of studying history to help us navigate the present and future.

I am particularly interested to hear about the Luskins, since my father and Meyer met each other as young teens in Boyle Heights and became lifelong friends until my father’s passing. The Luskins have put their wealth to good use and I applaud them.

Olivia Goodkin, Los Angeles

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To the editor: As an undergraduate history major and member of Phi Beta Kappa, I am ecstatic about the new gift to UCLA that will ensure the promotion of further studies in the discipline.

History teaches undergraduates to review and discern large amounts of information, to develop critical arguments about historical events and to become resourceful in searching for the truth on an issue. In my history courses at Colgate University, we debated issues such as the use of atomic weapons in 1945, the unjust exploitation of slaves in the U.S. and British Empire, and the development of democratic institutions — all relevant topics in discussions that take place today.

Those who chose to major in history gain a tremendous set of skills that they can use in business, law, higher education, government and many other professional fields. As such, it’s wonderful to see leaders like Mr. and Mrs. Luskin reinforcing the value of such opportunities for today’s students as they consider their futures.

Christian Teeter, Los Angeles