Committed to fostering the future of health care in San Diego, more than 1,000 donors have contributed $131 million to UC San Diego’s Jacobs Medical Center. Included in the total are gifts that matched a donation of $25 million, meeting the Challenge goal of the initiative. Today, the campus announced that the Challenge donation, originally anonymous, was made by Joan and Irwin Jacobs. They provided a $75 million lead gift for the new facility in 2010; with the Challenge gift, that brings their contributions to the Jacobs Medical Center to a total of $100 million.
The University of California, San Diego—recognized as one of the top 15 research universities worldwide—raised $148.3 million in private support in fiscal year 2013-2014. Nearly 30,000 donors helped to fund UC San Diego’s strategic plan commitment to being a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public institution that provides opportunity for all.
Aimee Chabot was one of 11 veterans and National Science Foundation graduate research fellows honored at NSF headquarters in Arlington, Va. last week. The UC San Diego graduate student was recognized for her military service and contributions to science at the Nov. 5 ceremony.
In just 54 years, UC San Diego has transformed into one of the world’s top public research universities. Reflecting upon the opportunities and challenges that have shaped the campus, UC San Diego’s fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth chancellors will come together—for the first time—to discuss the campus’s history and rise to prominence. “Through Their Eyes: A Conversation with Our Chancellors” will take place tomorrow, Nov. 14, at 11:30 a.m. in Price Center East Ballroom, as part of this year’s Founders Celebration.
At Castle Park High School last Friday, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Juan González shared with students his own experience with applying to college and working to succeed as an undergraduate. A first-generation college student, González overcame many of the same challenges—and fears—that students today face in pursuing higher education.
Coming from a long line of veterans, John Cerda wanted to do his part to defend the country that had provided so much for his family. A UC San Diego alumnus and staff member, he served four years on active duty in the U.S. Army as a communications technician in the Signal Corps. After spending two years in Germany, he volunteered for Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti. “It changed me forever,” said Cerda. “It made me realize that I had so much to be thankful for and that I needed to continue to give back and make a difference.”