Dan Epstein Honored by SDMAC for a Legacy of Support to San Diego’s Military Community

San Diego philanthropist and business leader Dan Epstein was recently presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) at its annual Achievement Awards event. The honor recognizes decades of advocacy, community leadership, and financial support benefiting local military families, active-duty service members, and veterans across San Diego County.

Much of that impact has been made possible through the Epstein Family Foundation, which has funded programs, educational facilities, and policy institutes aimed at supporting service members and veterans as they transition to civilian life. That commitment is felt directly here at the University of San Diego (USD).

Dan’s connection to USD’s military-connected community first took root through scholarships. He issued a challenge grant to encourage additional giving toward scholarships for military-connected students studying real estate, and the community responded in kind, ultimately raising $2 million for those scholarships. That early investment in military-connected students helped spark his deeper interest in supporting USD’s broader military community.

That growing interest led to a $10 million commitment from the Epstein Family Foundation that launched the Epstein Family Military Center (EFMC), a centralized campus hub built to support USD’s growing population of military-connected students, including active-duty personnel, veterans, and military dependents. The EFMC gives students a dedicated lounge, study areas, meeting rooms and event space to connect between classes, alongside academic advising, GI Bill and VA benefits assistance, career coaching, and mental health resources tailored to the realities of transitioning out of military service. A significant portion of the gift also established additional scholarships to reduce financial barriers for veteran students and their families, anchoring USD’s ambition to grow its military programs into a regional center of excellence for military higher education.

Together, the SDMAC Lifetime Achievement Award and the continued growth of the Epstein Family Military Center reflect the same throughline: a sustained, personal commitment to the men and women who have served, and to making sure a USD education is within reach for them and their families. The Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate joins the broader USD community in congratulating Dan Epstein on this well-earned recognition and in thanking him for a legacy that continues to open doors for military-connected Toreros.