By Emma Horio | May 7, 2025

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SHARING THE MISSION

Victor Wolfenstein

Judy Wolfenstein ’70, M.A. ’76 keeps her husband’s lifelong dedication to teaching political theory alive through an annual lecture series

In the early 2000s, Bruin alumnus James Jordan found himself back on campus, listening to a lower-division political science lecture. Jordan earned his bachelor’s degree at UCLA more than 30 years prior, in 1971, then graduated from the UCLA School of Law in 1974. A successful attorney, he hadn’t returned to school to meet breadth or unit requirements. He was there for the man lighting up the front of the lecture hall, making slouching undergraduates lean forward and take notes with his illuminating teaching style. He was there to listen to E. Victor Wolfenstein.

Some things had changed since Jordan was a student of Wolfenstein’s many years before. Students no longer called him “Victor,” but “Professor Wolfenstein.” They still lined up to join him for office hours, however, and loudly proclaimed to their peers that they’d “take anything Wolfenstein taught.”

As much as the students loved learning from Wolfenstein, he loved teaching them. Wolfenstein was a professor in UCLA’s political science department for 45 years, spanning the entire time from the conclusion of his Ph.D. at Princeton University to his death in 2010. He taught courses in his many fields of research, which included African American thought and politics, Ancient Greek political theory, psychoanalysis and Marxism.

In addition to professional pursuits, much of Wolfenstein’s personal life unfolded at the university. He met Judy Schub, who would earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history at UCLA in the 1970s, in the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden in 1968. A year later, the pair were married. Their children grew up on campus; they learned to ride bikes there, and the family attended Bruin basketball games in Pauley Pavilion and concerts in Royce Hall together.

Respected in his field and by his colleagues, beloved by his students and known as a familiar presence on campus, Victor Wolfenstein left his wit and wisdom as well as an unforgettable and enduring legacy at UCLA.

“When Victor died, there was a tremendous outpouring of remembrance and support,” Judy Wolfenstein said. “There was a sum of money raised to go to something in his memory. Eventually, the department decided on an annual public lecture series in political theory in acknowledgement of the scholarship that Victor had pursued, as well as the value of classical political theory.”

And so, the E. Victor Wolfenstein Political Theory Lecture, housed within the UCLA Department of Political Science, was born. The lecture series creates an opportunity for faculty, students and the public to consider questions of justice, race and history and their representation in the theory, music and literature that animated Victor Wolfenstein’s work. In a time of increasing volatility and budgetary concerns in academia, Judy Wolfenstein continues to emphasize the importance of a public forum and of the freedom of ideas at the university.

“Keeping UCLA scholarship present in people’s minds, and giving the public the opportunity to share in the university’s mission and explore new ideas, especially in this day and age, is vitally important,” Judy Wolfenstein said. “This was why research, and the teaching that emerged from it, was so important to Victor, and remains important to me as well. Our family is very happy to support the political science department in this project.”

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SEEING THE VISION

Ani B. Packard

This group of women is changing the world, one grant at a time. Their partnership with UCLA will help students cover non-tuition educational costs.

In 2014, friends Angella Nazarian ’89 and Lili Bosse put their heads together and brought their desire to belong to a group of like-minded women to life. They wanted a community where women could come together to learn, grow and make the world a better place.

Just over a decade later, Visionary Women — a nonprofit organization co-founded by Nazarian and Bosse — is thriving, boasting a membership of roughly 300 women of all ages and backgrounds. Based in Los Angeles, Visionary Women has a vibrant events calendar that has included speakers such as Venus Williams, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madeleine Albright and others in a lineup that inspires members to reach their own potential — in their careers and through their own philanthropic efforts.

One initiative geared toward first-generation college students is Visionary Women’s NextGen Scholarship Fund, a $5,000 discretionary award aimed at non-tuition costs associated with education.

“We wanted to provide an opportunity to level the playing field around those intangibles that aren’t often included in traditional scholarship packages,” said Ani B. Packard, executive director of Visionary Women. “We feel very passionately about ensuring that first-generation college-goers get the full experience during their undergraduate education. It’s not just about earning credits, but cultivating interests and passions and building a network of lifelong friends while you’re there, without the burden of thinking about the next bill.”

After successfully supporting an inaugural cohort of scholars at California State University, Northridge, Visionary Women turned to UCLA, an institution close to many members’ hearts. Housed within the Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment, the fund is the first of its kind at UCLA.

“We are pleased to have this generous support for deserving UCLA students, because the student debt crisis is real, and some students work two to three jobs just to make ends meet in college,” said Angela Deaver Campbell, executive director of the CSSE. “We have learned that when students have the support of others, they are more likely to thrive and have stronger educational experiences.”

As of this year, Visionary Women has distributed more than $3,700,000 and has impacted an estimated 10.8 million lives through grantmaking efforts. The group has funded 268 nonprofits in sectors as varied as education, economic empowerment, social services and the arts to support women’s growth in as many areas as possible.

Packard emphasized that no matter their giving capacity, anyone can make an impact.

“Visionary Women is here to grow with you and help you explore what it means to be philanthropic at various stages of your life,” Packard said. “You don’t have to wait to acquire a significant amount of wealth to start giving back to the community. We believe that everyone has the capacity to make a difference in the lives of women and girls who need it, and who are right in our backyards.”

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SPREADING GENEROSITY

Laura Tarbox 

Laura Tarbox ’79 channels her passion for giving to causes she cares about into her career as a wealth manager, encouraging clients to consider how philanthropy fits into their own lives and financial plans.

“What are you going to do in life with an English degree?”

After nearly two years as a biochemistry major at UCLA, Laura Tarbox ’79 shocked her parents into posing this question when she changed her major to English. Frustrated by the large lecture halls on the STEM side of campus, she was tempted by the small class sizes and mind-opening potential in studying the humanities.

“English was just so fun and wonderful, but I was also a little worried about what I was going to do after school,” Tarbox recalled.

After graduating, Tarbox bartended in Brentwood while trying to figure out her next steps. Through a connection in the investment business, she discovered her passion for financial planning. She became a certified financial planner in 1984 and taught financial planning for 25 years at institutions including UCLA, USC and California Lutheran University.

Now, Tarbox runs her own wealth management firm, Tarbox Family Office, where her background in English remains eminently obvious — at least to employees, who participate in weekly grammar quiz games. At her firm, her work with philanthropically minded clients complements her own charitable endeavors.

“My parents were people who gave back, and so it was modeled to me a lot,” Tarbox reflected. “I started giving money before I really had any.”

She’s given more than 50 gifts to UCLA since 1980 — beginning just one year after her own graduation. In addition to contributing financially, Tarbox gives generously of her time and expertise; she has served on the boards of multiple philanthropic organizations, including as board chair of the Laguna Beach Community Foundation. Tarbox brings this charitable mindset to work with her every day, resulting in clients who are inspired to give — sometimes in the millions.

“I love to encourage philanthropy — to see others find a connection to something they care about, and then give,” she said.

For Tarbox, one important campus connection is to UCLA Writing Programs. She supports scholarships for the teaching and learning center’s Writing Workshop for High School Students, giving young people the chance to supercharge their writing skills and prepare for a college education by way of a three-week summer writing intensive on campus.

Her ties to UCLA run deeper than her status as an alumna. Tarbox’s parents, Lynn Tarbox and Neta Gagen, both graduated from the university in the 1950s with bachelor’s degrees in economics and business administration, respectively. Her grandmother was a student at the pre-UCLA Los Angeles State Normal School. So when Tarbox thinks ahead to making planned gifts that will take effect long after her lifetime, she thinks of her alma mater.

“I have so many friends and memories at UCLA,” Tarbox said. “I love that I’m able to help make sure it continues to be such a special place many years into the future.”

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