The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs’ Department of Urban Planning and the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies welcomed hundreds of attendees to the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center to celebrate the life and legacy of Distinguished Professor Donald Shoup.

The Oct. 3 event was filled to capacity — standing room only — as current students, alumni, faculty, staff, community activists, and parking enthusiasts gathered to honor one of the most influential figures in urban planning, who passed away in February.

The afternoon began with a book talk on “The Shoup Doctrine: Essays Celebrating Donald Shoup and Parking Reforms” and the official launch of the UCLA Center for Parking Policy. This new center, inspired by Shoup’s groundbreaking work on parking reform, will serve as a hub for research, education, and policy innovation.

Later in the day, speakers took the stage in the Centennial Ballroom to share their stories about his legendary wit and his uncanny ability to steer nearly any conversation toward parking — always with humor, insight, and enthusiasm. Many reflected on his hallmark humility and kindness. Their heartfelt tributes reflected the lasting influence of a scholar whose groundbreaking work on parking reform inspired generations of “Shoupistas” and reshaped urban policy around the world.

An endowment for the UCLA Center for Parking Policy will help ensure that Shoup’s ideas continue to influence urban policy and guide the next generation of planners and scholars. To date, more than $29,000 has been raised toward the endowment’s $100,000 goal, including a $10,000 matching gift from Shoup’s wife, Pat Shoup, which has now been fully met.

More information about Shoup’s life, accomplishments, and tributes from around the world can be found on this UCLA Luskin tribute page. To view photos from the event, please visit our Flickr page.