June 4, 2018, Napa, CA – Garen & Shari Staglin, the founders and owners of Staglin Family Vineyard and who have directed millions of dollars to support brain health research and advocacy, were named the 2018 Edward A. Dickson Alumni of the Year by the UCLA Alumni Association at an awards ceremony on June 2nd at the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center.
Each year, the association celebrates some of the exceptional professional achievements, philanthropic endeavors and community service performed by the more than 500,000 UCLA alumni near and far. Previous Edward A. Dickson Alumni of the Year recipients include Jerry Lewis, Tim Robbins, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Arthur Ashe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rafer Johnson, Francis Ford Coppola, John R. Wooden, Carol Burnett, Jackie Robinson and Agnes de Mille.
“Our award recipients reflect the optimism that fuels our 500,000 Bruins around the globe,” said Julie Sina, associate vice chancellor for alumni affairs at UCLA. “The awardees are selected from a deep pool of nominations representative of the narrative that is unique to the heart and soul of UCLA Alumni. Each story is unique yet representative of the UCLA imprint.”
The Edward A. Dickson Alumni of the Year Award was presented to Garen Staglin, who graduated from UCLA in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and Shari Staglin, who graduated with a bachelor’s in international relations in 1966. This is the first time a couple has been honored with the Edward A. Dickson Alumni of the Year Award. The Staglins have partnered with the university to lead the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge, a campus-wide effort that aims to reduce the health and economic impacts of depression by half by the year 2050.
“On behalf of the State of California, I congratulate Garen and Shari Staglin on receiving the 2018 Edward Dickson Alumni of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious awards given by the UCLA Alumni Association,” stated Lt. Governor Gavin Newsome. “As the first recipients to receive this award as a couple, this accolade alone reflects the lasting impression the Staglins have made on the UCLA campus. Garen and Shari’s extraordinary service as advocates for mental health research stands as a remarkable example to our entire community and beyond. As a UC Regent, I am especially grateful for their tireless efforts in preserving the mental health of all UC students, faculty, as well as the people of our great state.”
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi added, “Garen and Shari are an American treasure. Their courage to turn their family’s challenge into a nationwide campaign to study and treat mental illness has transformed countless lives, delivered hope to millions and profoundly honors the education legacy of Edward Dickson.”
Congressman Mike Thompson said, “Twenty five years ago, brain health was the unwanted step-child if health care. But, over the past quarter century, Shari and Garen’s efforts to raise awareness about, fund research on, and fight the stigma associated with brain illness have helped so many families live better lives.”
The Staglins founded the Staglin Family Vineyard in Napa Valley, which provides philanthropic support for mental health work. Shari guides Staglin Family Vineyard as CEO and Garen is proprietor while remaining active in the world of venture capital and private equity investing. Garen, co-chair of the Centennial Campaign for UCLA, and Shari, emerita of the UCLA Foundation board of directors, have provided faculty, student and research support through the Staglin Family Chair in Psychology, Staglin Family Music Festival Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, Depression Grand Challenge Project Fellows Program, Staglin Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Psychosis Prevention Center.
