To Donors, Faculty and Volunteers: You Started It, and UCSD Thanks You!

Judy Piercey | Oct. 15, 2007

Former Executive Director of the Alumni Association, John Valva, and Chancellor Fox at the campaign closing celebration. Click here to view the slideshow of the Campaign closing celebration.

It certainly was ambitious. The university’s fundraising consultants said it couldn’t be done. But seven years after its start, UC San Diego reached its $1 billion campaign fundraising goal and, in fact, exceeded it by $30 million.

To celebrate the success of The Campaign for UCSD, more than 300 donors, faculty, staff, and volunteers joined the October 12 festivities at the Faculty Club. The invitation asked attendees to wear back-to-school attire, and the university theme was carried throughout the venue with blue and gold pennants boasting the latest UCSD rankings and accolades, powerful images looped on plasma screens illustrating the impact that private support has had on the campus. 

Guests at the celebration were greeted by the UC San Diego Triton Mascot, and then had an opportunity to see the “car of the future” just outside of the Faculty Club entrance as well as chat with the car’s inventor, Mohan Trivedi. A Jacobs School of Engineering faculty member and director of UCSD’s Computer Vision and Robotics Research laboratory, Trivedi leads research on intelligent transportation and telematics within the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2). 

The Asayake Taiko drummers.

Inside, performances by the university’s Pep Band, Asayake Taiko drums, Hawaii Club and the Triton Jazz Group added to the event’s upbeat atmosphere. Food stations located throughout the faculty club reflected the diversity of the UC San Diego community, with several ethnic varieties of food.

Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, channeling school spirit in her UCSD shirt, chatted with the UCSD Alumni Board; faculty members shared stories with donors; and volunteers had an opportunity to relax and take pride in a job well done.

In her remarks, the chancellor noted, “It has been a privilege to work with this wonderful and dedicated community of university supporters. Thank you for your vision and your generosity.  And thank you for believing in UC San Diego.” She also introduced the Campaign for UCSD Milestone Video, which can be viewed at www.giving.ucsd.edu, along with background information on the campaign fundraising effort.

Chancellor Fox mingles with donors, faculty and volunteers.

Guests who attended the UC San Diego celebration received a campaign T-shirt, a DVD copy of The Campaign for UCSD Milestone Video, and a ticket offer for two for a ‘07-08 UCSD Theatre or ArtPower! performance, athletic event or Birch Aquarium visit. Of the more than 100,000 total campaign donors, 51 percent were friends of the university, 28 percent were alumni and 14 percent were parents.  Corporations, foundations and organizations represented the remaining seven percent.

Now, at the completion of this milestone accomplishment, UCSD can move forward with initiatives that will encompass pragmatic growth, exemplified by the expansion and upgrade of medical centers, as well as significant interdisciplinary efforts such as environmental sustainability, climate change and biomedical engineering. The university is committed to cutting edge research, advanced healthcare and superior education that will take on an even broader global perspective at UC San Diego. 

Fred Ufkes and Sheldon Engelhorn.

What’s next?  With the State of California education funds only providing 12 percent of the university’s annual budget, private support will remain a critical need.  The university has met important funding goals for research, academic programs and health sciences during the course of the campaign.  However, more remains to be done to support the university’s efforts to recruit and retain faculty and to finance undergraduate and graduate scholarships and student life initiatives.

With the support of generous alumni, parents, faculty and staff, students and friends, UC San Diego will continue to deliver the local impact, national influence and global reach of the region’s leading research university.