The University of San Francisco to Receive a Substantial Contribution from The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation for the Arts

The University of San Francisco was a top choice. With the changing landscape of the city, and with the new direction of the university, I knew that a gift towards the arts would leave a lasting impact and really further USF in its arts program. This was the perfect way to honor Ann.”

GORDON GETTY

Both Gordon and his late wife, Ann Getty, shared a deep love for the arts. Their gift will provide funding for expanded and renovated arts facilities, support for renowned arts faculty, and access for arts students.

A Legacy To and For The Arts

This gift comes at an opportune time and will continue the momentum in the transformation of the arts at USF. Gordon Getty’s philanthropic support will help USF establish itself as a university with a premier arts program.

Gordon Getty’s support comes as we are reimagining the arts at USF. This gift allows us to think boldly about how we can advance a newly invigorated strategic vision for the arts, social justice, and community outreach.”

PROVOST JULIA CHINYERE OPARAH

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An expansion and renovation of the current facilities for art instruction will grow USF’s footprint with additional studio art spaces, gallery and exhibition spaces, transforming how USF students and faculty learn, create, research, and granting the opportunity to engage local communities with the arts. The support from the Getty family plays a crucial role in our plans to ensure that arts education in the Jesuit tradition is guaranteed for generations of artists to come.

Gordon Getty’s gift will also establish an endowed chair. The Ann Getty Chair in the Arts will ensure the growth and recruitment of USF’s arts programs, enabling USF to attract world-class artists for the programs on campus, while also honoring her legacy.

An endowed scholarship named The Ann Getty Memorial Endowed Scholarship for the Arts will be the final component of this pacesetter gift. The recipients of the scholarship will be named The Ann Getty Arts Scholars.

An Artistic Inspiration

Gordon Getty’s philanthropy is part of Changing the World From Here: Campaign for the University of San Francisco. With nearly 30 million dollars in cumulative giving over the years, The Getty family’s philanthropy portfolio includes the support of several large initiatives at USF, and most recently the creation of the J. Paul Getty Honors College in 2018. Exemplary first years are invited to apply to the fellowship, and accepted Getty Scholars receive funding to engage in activities of educational enrichment.

The Honors College is a competitive program focusing on a liberal arts foundation with an emphasis on the global humanities, interdisciplinary inquiry, and experiential education. Every year, over 900 students apply, and on average 160 are accepted. The Honors College has hosted over eight distinguished scholars, artists, and writers such as NYT Bestselling author Moshin Hamid and comedian and commentator W. Kamau Bell. This May the first class of Honors College students will graduate, including the first class of J. Paul Getty Scholars.

This significant support of USF continues to ensure that our students have the opportunity to engage in world-class arts programs. Mr. Getty has been and continues to be a critical player in helping USF integrate arts education with other aspects of our holistic curriculum. This gift ensures we will continue to evolve and elevate the arts education in San Francisco for the next generation.”

USF PRESIDENT PAUL J. FITZGERALD, S.J.

This gift moves USF into the home stretch of a $300 million campaign to support scholarships, new programs, and facilities. Changing the World From Here: Campaign for the University of San Francisco ends this spring on May 31, 2022. Alumni, supporters, and students will all be invited to celebrate the close of the campaign at a campus-wide event in October 2022.

This gift was made as part of Changing the World from Here: Campaign for the University of San Francisco. Learn more about how to support the College of Arts & Sciences with a gift of any size.