History in the Making: Founders’ Celebration 2012

Festivities to include investiture of UC San Diego’s eighth chancellor

For the past two years, we’ve celebrated the anniversary of UC San Diego’s founding by honoring the visionary leaders and innovators who helped this campus become one of the top 10 public universities in the nation. Now, as part of the 2012 Founders’ Celebration Nov. 15 to 16, we will celebrate history in the making: The investiture of UC San Diego’s eighth chancellor, Pradeep K. Khosla.

This year, Founders’ Celebration will embrace the theme, “We Inspire,” beginning with an invitation-only dinner Nov. 15 honoring the Chancellor’s Medal recipients for 2012, to be bestowed by Chancellor Khosla. The following day, Nov. 16, is Founders’ Day featuring a full slate of activities that are open to the campus and community, including Chancellor Khosla’s investiture.

“I look forward to my investiture as part of this year’s Founders’ Day tradition,” said Khosla. “UC San Diego is recognized as one of the best universities in the world because our founders had the vision to establish an institution that would define the future of education and research. I’m proud to lead this campus and build on our tradition of excellence.”

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In celebration of Founders’ Day and the investiture of our new chancellor, attendees can enjoy a variety of free activities—a daytime program, affinity booths and lunch in Town Square; an evening symposium with a new TEDx-style format highlighting campus innovation; and the return of the nighttime Hullabaloo student carnival.

This year, the campus is working closely with the Associated Students to engage even more of our students in the Founders’ Day festivities, which will culminate for students with the return of Hullabaloo.

"A.S. Concerts & Events and the university are working closely to spread the word to students about the daylong Founders' Day Celebration,” explained Jennifer Tith, AS festivals coordinator. “This year, we're introducing a passport system where students will be eligible for a prize at Hullabaloo by visiting affinity booths during the Founders' Day program. This will also be a prime opportunity to pick up wristbands early and skip the long lines for amusement rides at Hullabaloo."

In honor of Founders’ Day, the campus is hosting a “We Inspire” video contest that encourages the campus community to show what inspires them at UC San Diego, or what they do to inspire others. Prizes include $200 to Zanzibar at The Loft and two tickets to the Nov. 14 Wiz Khalifa concert on campus. In addition, the winning video will air at Hullabaloo Nov. 16. The contest is open to the entire campus community—students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends—and can be entered individually or in groups. For more information and contest guidelines, visit http://founders.ucsd.edu/video-contest/.  

From inspiring speakers to live performances, Founders’ Celebration is a festive occasion to connect with friends and colleagues in our campus community. Please join us in honoring our campus’s history, celebrating our innovations and impacts, and exploring the future of UC San Diego at the following activities:

Founders’ Day and Investiture

• Nov. 16, 11:30 a.m., Town Square
• This is an annual celebration commemorating the day the campus was officially founded in 1960. University of California President Mark Yudof will preside over the investiture of Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, eighth chancellor of UC San Diego. A festival in Town Square will follow with interactive affinity booths, music, games, giveaways and gourmet food truck fare.

Founders’ Symposium

• Nov. 16, 5-7 p.m., Rady School of Management
• This dynamic evening with some of UC San Diego’s brightest researchers features vibrant articulation of the relevant research happening now at UC San Diego, showcasing work that has real impacts on everyday lives. Topics range from nanomedicine in cancer therapies and algal fuels to effects of government. Speakers include: Adah Almutairi of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Todd Coleman of the Jacobs School of Engineering, Valerie Ramey of the Division of Social Sciences, Seth Lerer of the Division of Arts and Humanities, Stephen Mayfield of the Division of Biological Sciences and Amanda Datnow of the Education Studies program.

Hullabaloo

• Nov. 16, 8 p.m.-midnight, Town Square and Matthews Quad
• Hosted by AS Concerts & Events, this free nighttime festival is just for our UC San Diego students. Students can pick up their passports and wristbands at Founders' Day for this event. With a theme that promises, “we eat, we play, we dance,” this student festival features live performances, carnival rides and food trucks.

A free Academic Senate Research Lecture will also be held in conjunction with Founders’ Celebration Nov. 13 featuring Dr. Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, Distinguished Professor and Chief, Family & Preventive Medicine / Division of Epidemiology Cancer Prevention & Control Program.  Another lecture will be held the first of the year, January 23, featuring Andrew T. Scull, Distinguished Professor in Sociology.

For more information about Founders’ Celebration activities, please visit founders.ucsd.edu.