In memoriam: Feminist, political scientist, philanthropist Peggy Downes Baskin

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I write to pass along the sad news that Peggy Downes Baskin, a lifelong advocate for women’s rights and educational equity, a widely respected professor of political science, and a longtime philanthropic supporter of UC Santa Cruz, passed away Dec. 11. Peggy had a deep influence on our campus, both through her scholarly endeavors and through her philanthropy.

She shared her insight and expertise with students as a senior lecturer in feminist studies and she and her late husband, Jack Baskin, whose generous gift helped launch our Jack Baskin School of Engineering, endowed what has come to be known as the Peggy Downes Baskin Ethics Lecture Series in the Humanities Division. She worked over the course of her life to empower young women and girls, and that focus helped shape the mission of the Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation, which the couple established in 2008 to support gender equality and increased access to education for marginalized communities throughout the region. Since then, the foundation has launched
numerous programs and initiatives on our campus that do just that, among them the Baskin Feminist Scholars Program, Baskin Scholars Program in Engineering, and the summer Girls in Engineering program. In 2016, the foundation endowed the Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies, which funds research and teaching in feminist studies, as well as providing support for graduate fellowships.

Peggy understood and appreciated what makes UC Santa Cruz the special place that it is, and her deep support for and involvement with our campus has been transformative. My condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.You can learn more about Peggy Downes Baskin in a story posted on our campus newscenter.

Sincerely,
Cindy

Cynthia Larive
Chancellor

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