Coming off the heels of a $50 million gift, the Stanford Institute for International Studies, or SIIS, will be re-named the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford in honor of the two alumni donors, Bradford M. Freeman, Class of 1964, and Ronald P. Spogli, Class of 1970. The name change will go into effect Sept. 1.

“We’ve decided to change the name in recognition of two generous donors who gave a very large gift recently to the Institute and Stanford’s International Initiative,” said Klas Bergman, associate director for communications at the SIIS.

Freeman is a member of Stanford’s Board of Trustees, and Spogli sits on the Board of Visitors at the SIIS. Both are founding partners of the investment firm Freeman Spogli & Co.

In a May 13 press release, Coit Blacker, director of the SIIS, said that the donation will “lay the groundwork for the transformation of international studies at Stanford, and the Institute and the University stand ready to embark on a fundamentally new and very dynamic course in international research and education.”

Blacker was unable to be reached for comment.

Along with the name change, the SIIS staff hopes to implement many far-reaching changes in the future thanks to the large donation.

“The changes will not be immediate, but we are now looking at the needs of the institute and determining what the money should be used for,” Bergman said. “However, [the donation] will make it possible to fund at least 10 new professorships, which is one of the main aspects of the gift. When you appoint new professors, this leads to new ideas and new programs.”

The SIIS currently consists of five main research centers. The oldest one, the Center for International Security and Cooperation, concentrates on issues relating to nuclear proliferation and homeland security. The newest one is the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, which focuses on economic progress and democracy-building efforts in developing countries.

Various other donors have contributed $44 million to SIIS.

“This is a very exciting time not only for the SIIS but for Stanford as a whole,” Bergman said. “We’ll be able to see new resources and programs and a widening of what we can offer Stanford students in terms of international education and affairs.”