Nicolaos Alexopoulos, former chair of the electrical engineering department, and his wife, Sue Curtis Alexopoulos, have given a substantial gift to the UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the study of Hellenic culture. The gift is in memory of Nicolaos’ brother, Aristides Alexopoulos.
The Aristides G. Alexopoulos Endowed Student Fund will provide assistance in the form of small grants to students in financial need, with preference given to undergraduate and graduate students of Hellenic descent or with parents of Greek citizenship. These grants will help students achieve their academic or professional goals as well as overcome unexpected challenges.
From 1969 to 1996, Nicolaos Alexopoulos was a faculty member in the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, serving as chair of the electrical engineering department and associate dean for faculty affairs. From 1997 to 2008, he was dean of UC Irvine’s school of engineering. In 2008, he joined Broadcom Corporation as vice president for antennas, radio frequency technologies and university relations. He currently serves as Broadcom Foundation’s vice president for academic programs and university relations.
The UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center was established by a lead gift of $5 million from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and matching funds provided by the Hellenic and Philhellenic community of Southern California. The center builds on UCLA’s strengths across many academic fields, placing Hellenic culture within a broad historical, transcultural and contemporary context. Language teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels — as well as adult classes — engages students in the study of ancient, medieval and modern Greek. The center supports a comprehensive set of academic and public initiatives through strategic collaborations with organizations in Southern California, Greece and Cyprus, as well as through partnerships with universities and cultural institutions.