Help for those with the least
UC Santa Cruz Dean of the Arts David Yager made quite an impression on investor Youri Bujko and his wife Luciana Andrade during an alumni award ceremony at West Hollywood’s Soho House last year.
“Dean Yager brings incredible innovation to the public education system,” said Bujko, who owns Thalassa Capital LLC, an investment company in Santa Monica. “We just love the way he promotes UC Santa Cruz, as well as his fundraising innovation.”
In fact, Yager so impressed Bujko and Andrade that they pledged $50,000 to the fund for Arts Excellence to increase internship and mentoring opportunities as well as help underprivileged students study the arts at UC Santa Cruz.
Andrade’s son, Lucas Bonetti, will start at UC Santa Cruz this fall, pursuing a masters in social documentary.
The couple’s giving reflects their key conviction that “the component to the success of a nation is making sure that those who have the least still have access to a great education.”