How much did George Lucas donate to the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2006?

George Lucas donated $175 million to the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2006. The gift came through the Lucasfilm Foundation and was announced as USC celebrated the school’s new name and facilities.

The donation supported construction of a new cinematic arts complex and strengthened the school’s endowment. USC said $75 million would help fund the new complex, while $100 million supported initiatives involving students, faculty, technology, programming, and alumni outreach.

Lucas graduated from USC’s cinema program in 1966, making the gift a major contribution from one of the school’s most influential alumni. The donation was also notable because it was the largest private gift in USC’s history at the time.

A common mix-up is confusing the $175 million total with the $100 million portion assigned to several school initiatives or the $75 million directed toward the building project. The full gift was $175 million.