The University of California announced this week that it will bestow its highest honors on San Diego philanthropist and business leader Irwin Jacobs and his late wife Joan, a community leader in health care and the arts.
UC President Michael V. Drake will present the couple with Presidential Medals at a ceremony in March in honor of their impact on education, health care, technology and the arts.
“I’m thrilled to present the University of California’s highest honor to UC San Diego founding professor Irwin Jacobs and his late wife, Joan Jacobs,” said Drake. “Through teaching, public service and philanthropy, they have enriched the lives of countless students, faculty, staff and patients.”
“Their transformative generosity and care for the community exemplify the very best of the university and our mission to expand knowledge, increase opportunity and ensure a healthier future for California and the world,” Drake added.
Irwin Jacobs was a founding professor of UC San Diego, serving on the faculty from 1966 to 1972. He went on to co-found Linkabit and later Qualcomm, where he served as founding chairman and CEO. Qualcomm pioneered the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless technology, the world’s fastest-growing, most-advanced voice and data wireless communications technology.
Joan Jacobs, who died earlier this year, will be honored posthumously for her leadership, dedication and generosity to enriching the lives of others with excellent health care, arts, culture and education.
Thanks to the couple’s support and visionary generosity, UC San Diego has grown to become one of the top research universities in the world, named the top “Golden Age” university founded between 1945 and 1966, by Times Higher Education.
“Joan and Irwin Jacobs have left an indelible imprint on UC San Diego, helping it to grow and expand into the world-class research university it is today,” said Pradeep K. Khosla, UC San Diego Chancellor. “The UC Presidential Medal is a prestigious, well-deserved honor that celebrates the remarkable impact the couple has made on our campus, San Diego, the state of California and indeed, the world.”
Over the years, the Jacobs have received multiple awards from UC San Diego for their generosity and dedication to the campus. They received the Chancellor’s Medal in 2010, which is one of the highest honors given by UC San Diego for exceptional service in support of the university’s mission. They were the first to receive the campus’s Lifetime Legacy Award, in 2020.
Seeking to enrich the community, the Jacobs have also provided significant support to organizations including the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, San Diego Symphony, and performing arts venues such as the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park and the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center at Liberty Station.
Over the past 50 years, the Jacobs have supported UC San Diego with more than $460 million in gifts across diverse disciplines — ranging from engineering to health care to the arts, and more.
