Stanford Institute for International Studies to be renamed this fall

The Stanford Institute for International Studies (SIIS) will become the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University effective Sept. 1, SIIS Director Coit D. Blacker announced May 11.

The name change is in recognition of the Freeman Spogli $50 million lead gift to the institute and Stanford's International Initiative, which President John Hennessy launched April 28.

"These gifts lay the groundwork for the transformation of international studies at Stanford, and the institute and the university stand ready to embark on a fundamentally new and very dynamic course in international research and education," Blacker said.

Freeman ('64) and Spogli ('70) are founding partners of the Los Angeles-based investment firm Freeman Spogli & Co. Freeman is a member of the Stanford Board of Trustees; Spogli is a member of the board of visitors of SIIS.

The gift will also create up to 10 interdisciplinary professorships and endow the institute's directorship. Other key donors have contributed an additional $44 million, Blacker said.

The university's latest multidisciplinary initiative will focus on three themes: pursuing peace and security in an insecure world; reforming and improving governance at all levels of society; and advancing human health and well being. Stanford's other broad-based initiatives focus on the biosciences and the environment.

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