The UCLA Anderson School of Management received a $2 million gift last week.
The gift will be used to establish a technology leadership program tailored to students with engineering and technical backgrounds, said Judy Olian, dean of the Anderson School.
The money is one of two donations given in the last year from Jim Easton, chairman and chief executive officer of Jas. D. Easton Inc., a sports equipment company.
Easton is also a member of the Anderson School’s board of visitors and is a UCLA alumnus who received a bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1959.
He previously donated $2 million in July to create a multimedia classroom at the Anderson School, according to a UCLA statement.
The goal of the Easton Technology Leadership Program is to fulfill the vital need for the development of strong leadership skills in students who plan to work in modern, technology-centered environments, Olian said.
“The aim of the program in Mr. Easton’s mind is to create the capacity for management in engineers and tech students,” she said. “Many are experts in their respective fields, whether bio-tech, green-tech or engineering, but they haven’t honed their managerial skills.”
Elective courses and case studies will be offered through the program to prepare Anderson’s graduate students for success in diverse technical and management environments after graduation.
“The program will allow leadership skill development either as part of the MBA track or as a series of short courses in executive education,” Olian said.
Easton’s experience as a chief executive officer, supervising the design and manufacturing of high-performance sports equipment, led him to recognize the need for leadership training in technological fields, according to the statement.
“I have seen a need for leaders in our research, development, engineering and manufacturing areas who not only possess a knowledge to create innovative products, but who also possess strong skills in team management, communication and negotiation,” Easton said in the statement.
Olian said the program’s faculty will be predominantly made up of Anderson professors, but it will draw on expertise from professors in the engineering school.
The Anderson School also hopes to hire adjunct faculty members with industry backgrounds to teach in the program and assist in its design, she said.
The program, which is expected to be established over the course of the next year, would be completely new for the Anderson School, Olian said.
“The essence of what Mr. Easton wants to do, applying leadership to technological fields, would be completely new. Both the Anderson School and UCLA at large are grateful for the gift, as it will touch many different parts of the university, from Anderson to the School of Engineering,” she said.
In recognition of his generosity, Easton was named one of the founding members of Entrepreneur’s Hall at the Anderson School in 2005.
In July, Easton gave a gift of $2 million to create the Jim Easton Global Connection Classroom.
It is expected to be finished by March of this year. The classroom will include enhanced recording and Webcasting capabilities, wireless microphones in desks and the ceiling, video conferencing, LED screens, a full sound system, and a digital touch screen at the front podium.
Easton also donated $10 million donation to establish the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research in August last year, according to Daily Bruin archives.