Longtime Los Angeles arts patrons Gayle Garner Roski and Edward P. Roski Jr. have pledged $23 million to the USC School of Fine Arts, it was announced today by university President Steven B. Sample.

The gift is believed to be the largest single donation to a visual arts school in the United States.

In recognition of this historic gift, Sample announced that the university is renaming the school the USC Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Arts.

“We’re delighted that our School of Fine Arts will bear the name of an extraordinarily talented artist, alumna and adviser,” Sample said. “Through their visionary and historic gift, Gayle and Ed Roski are affirming the preeminent place that the arts have in the intellectual and cultural life of a comprehensive research university.

“Artistic creation is one of the ways in which USC fulfills its mission of developing both individuals and society at large by cultivating and enriching the human mind and spirit,” he added. “The Roskis embrace that mission with passion, and their investment will provide important opportunities for our faculty and students to explore art as an expression of what it means to be human.”

The gift will be used to expand the school’s tenure track faculty with world-class appointments, significantly increase student fellowships for the school’s two graduate programs and enhance technological support for innovative undergraduate teaching.

Gayle and Edward Roski have been longtime patrons of the arts community in Los Angeles, as well as strong supporters of USC. Gayle Roski is an accomplished painter and alumna of the USC School of Fine Arts and one of Los Angeles’ most ardent and active cultural ambassadors. Edward Roski, chairman and CEO of Majestic Realty, graduated with a B.S. in business administration from USC, and serves as a member of the USC Board of Trustees.

“Los Angeles is widely considered to be the leading center for fine arts education and innovation in the world, and USC’s School of Fine Arts plays a pivotal role in that reputation,” said Gayle Roski. Added Edward Roski: “USC has the longest standing tradition of arts education in Southern California, and we are very excited to make this gift to continue the tradition of excellence.”

Among the school’s alumni are internationally acclaimed artists Ken Price, Robert Therrien and Paul McCarthy, as well as artist/critic Peter Plagens.

Many current faculty members of the USC Gayle Garner Roski School of Fine Arts are also renowned artists whose work is represented in the collections of the world’s leading museums and galleries. They include Robbert Flick, Ron Rizk, David Bunn, Jud Fine, Charlie White, Sharon Lockhart, Andrea Zittel and the school’s dean Ruth Weisberg.

Weisberg said the Roski gift will help the school achieve its ambitious goals in coming decades.

“We are witnessing momentous shifts in university education and global culture, as well as dramatic growth in career opportunities open to our students when they graduate,” Weisberg said. “This gift will enable us to take a leadership role in developing the art school of the future. We need to incorporate new ideas and technology along with the classic skills and tools. This transformative gift will allow us to pursue our vision of the crucial role the arts can play in the 21st century.”