To honor the memory of Maya Karin Peterson’s intellectual spirit and passion for the study of history, the History Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz invites colleagues, students, family and friends of Maya Peterson to contribute to the Maya K. Peterson Memorial Endowment.
The Maya K. Peterson Memorial Endowment will support The Maya K. Peterson Explorations in History Seminar Series as well as undergraduate and graduate student research in History.
See below for more information about how to make a gift.
The Maya K. Peterson Explorations in History Seminar Series
The Maya K. Peterson Explorations in History Seminar Series at the University of California, Santa Cruz honors the life and spirit of a brilliant scholar, teacher, and mentor whose career was cut short by her untimely death in 2021. A specialist in Russian, Central Asian and environmental history, Maya was a valued member of UCSC’s faculty in the History Department and the Humanities Division. The Explorations in History Seminar Series celebrates Maya’s passions for the study of history, for dialogue between the humanities and the sciences, and for innovative scholarship across disciplines—passions that she shared generously with students, colleagues, and communities around the globe. Hosted regularly by the History Department, the seminar series will support colloquia led by UC Santa Cruz faculty and visiting scholars, as well as provide opportunities for faculty and students—at graduate and undergraduate levels—to share and hone their research. Among other objectives, the seminar series aims to encourage students to engage with understudied areas and issues, and with interdisciplinary approaches; it will also support undergraduate and graduate research and language study. Envisioned as a hub for fresh explorations in the discipline of history, the series will open up new pathways for nurturing the intellectual community at UCSC while honoring Maya’s commitment to scholarship and community.
Past Maya K. Peterson Explorations in History Seminars
2024 - Bathsheba Demuth (Brown University)
"The Reindeer Herd in the Ruins"
2023 - Assif Siddiqi (Fordham University)
"The Gulag's First Monument: Stalin's Egineers, the White Sea Canal, and the Making of Soviet Modernity."
There are many ways to make your tax-deductible donation to the Maya K. Peterson Memorial Endowment:
- Give online (within U.S.) using this secure online giving form or call (831) 459-2501.
- Mail: to mail a gift, please complete a gift form and send it to:
UC Santa Cruz Foundation
Attn: Gift Administration
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064For gifts or pledges of more than $25,000, please contact Cari Napoles at cmnapole@ucsc.edu.
- Recurring cash gifts / multi-year pledges: you can establish a regular schedule of giving by credit card, bank transfer, or check.
- To give via wire transfer: please contact Raven Carnes, Gift Administration Manager by phone: (831) 332-5136, by fax: (831) 459-2406, or by email at rcarnes@ucsc.edu prior to making your gift.
- Securities: stocks, bonds, and mutual funds can be assigned to the UC Santa Cruz Foundation. Please reach out to Raven Carnes for specific instructions at the contact information listed above.
- Donor Advised Funds: make a recommendation to your charitable giving organization to support this fund. Please note that the tax ID for the UCSC Foundation is 23-7394590 and the designation of the Maya K. Peterson Memorial Endowment should be included with the gift letter.
- IRA Charitable Rollover: If you’re 70 ½ or older you can lower the income and taxes from your IRA withdrawals. Learn more HERE.
- Faculty and staff options: Faculty and staff can make regular, scheduled contributions through payroll. They can also give through their retirement plan.
