Few names are as synonymous with generosity towards Santa Barbara City College as “Luria.” The contributions of the Luria family to SBCC – which span over five decades – have been consistent and widespread. Almost every area on campus has benefited from the family’s generosity.
The late family patriarch, Eli Luria, is the namesake for the campus’ Library and LearningResourceCenter, which his wife Lee and daughter Kandy Luria-Budgor continue to support by donating funds so that the library can remain open on the weekends and to underwrite the Luria Library Resident Program.
Also, as fervent supporters of the SBCC scholarship program, the Lurias have created a handful of scholarships and also fund the President’s Scholarship, the most significant scholarship awarded to an SBCC student annually. They have also been Running Start Angels, allowing students that may not attend college otherwise to come to campus and receive extra support as they begin their higher education journey. The creation of the school’s two continuing education centers—the Schott and
Wake centers—was aided by the Lurias, and the Glass Arts Studio at the WakeCenter bears Lee’s name. SBCC has benefited in many other ways from the Lurias’ love for art and their keen artistic visions. Four sculptures on campus – the most notable being The Mentors Fountain, which is a jewel of the West Campus landscape – were donated by the family. Additionally, Eli designed three of the campus’ entrances as well as a sculpture garden on East Campus. The Lurias provided the lead gift for the Luria Conference and PressCenter at La Playa Stadium, which has become a hub of campus activities such as meetings, conferences, fundraising activities, and classes, in addition to its game-day functions during football season. The beautiful gated entrance of La Playa Stadium was also erected thanks to the Lurias.
The Lurias’ generosity extends well beyond their checkbooks as they have contributed countless hours to SBCC. Eli served on the Board of Trustees, including two terms as the Board President. He helped create the SBCC Foundation and also served on the Education Advisory Council. Lee, a SBCC alum, has served on the Board of Directors for the Alumni Association and the Adult Education Board. Continuing her parents’ legacy of giving to SBCC, Kandy currently serves as a member of the SBCC Foundation board.
