OCTOBER 2022
Dear Trustees,

Many thanks again for your participation in the Board of Trustees activities and other events in the past month. As a reminder, the drafted minutes from the full board and work group meetings on September 28 are all saved within the 2022-2023 Trustee Resources Box folder, and links to the video recordings are included below.

Thank you also to the many trustees who sponsored and attended the Illuminate event last Saturday to celebrate the launch of BOLDLY FORWARD: The Campaign for UC Merced. The evening’s program featured recognition of UC Regent Emeritus and founding UC Merced Foundation Trustee Fred Ruiz and Diplomat Mitzie Ruiz, and an announcement of their transformational $15 million gift to support scholarships for students from the Central Valley. We cannot thank them enough for their incredible support over the years, which has made and will continue to make a difference for so many. Please take a moment to view this video highlighting Fred and Mitzie’s impact on our community.
Due to the great momentum our campaign has already seen, Chancellor Muñoz also announced that we are doubling our campaign goal to $200 million. We have no doubt that we can achieve this new goal with the instrumental support of this board. It was an exciting evening to kick off this journey, which is only getting started. Special thanks also to Fred and Mitzie Ruiz for their premier sponsorship of Illuminate; Campaign Chair and Platinum Sponsor Denise Watkins; Illuminate Co-Chairs Priya Lakireddy and Chiara Riggs Sill; and Lesley Slaton Brown, who not only provided a Gold sponsorship from HP, but also served as our wonderful emcee for the program.

Please know how grateful we are for your continued support of UC Merced. We look forward to connecting soon for work group meetings and other activities. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything in the meantime.


September 28 Recordings


Warmest regards,

Stephanie Sia
Director, Foundation Board
BOARD UPDATES
UC Merced Foundation Intern: Introducing Kim Lopez-Alvarez
Thanks to the continued generosity of Advocacy & Awareness Co-Chair Jack Oswald, Kimberly Lopez-Alvarez joined our team in September to support the work and advocacy efforts of the board. If you haven't met her yet, we hope you have the opportunity to connect with her soon!

My name is Kim, and I am a current fourth year at UC Merced majoring in Business Management and Economics. As a student, I have created several entrepreneurial opportunities including starting a small tutoring business and opening a jet ski rental company based in Oakdale, California.

During my time at UC Merced, I have built strong relationships with my peers and instructors whom I look up to. I have thoroughly enjoyed the academic rigor that UC Merced has provided me, and I am excited to take my experiences and knowledge with me post-graduation.

Thank you for welcoming me to the Foundation.
North Bay Reception hosted by Jack Oswald and Kate Ecker
Trustees Jack Oswald and Kate Ecker, along with Diplomats Anneke Seley and John Mackie, hosted a lovely reception in Healdsburg on Sunday, October 16. The event was well-attended, and the speaking program included Vice Chancellor Charles Nies, Vice Chancellor Ed Klotzbier, Professor Roger Bales, and PhD student Han Guo. We also had special guest appearances of our former Foundation interns, Keanu Velasquez and Hannah Meskienyar. It was a wonderful opportunity to network and introduce others to what makes UC Merced so special. We are so grateful to our gracious hosts and to several other trustees for inviting guests and serving as ambassadors.
BOT Meeting Schedule
2022-2023 Full Board Meetings
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Trustees' Impact Fund
We appreciate the board's generosity and annual support through the Trustees' Impact Fund. Contributions to the 2022 Fund and other funds that are meaningful to you can be made online here or by completing and mailing this form.

Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
In the 2022 Sustainable Campus Index, UC Merced placed Top 10 in several categories including a tie for the No.1 spot in research. The annual report published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recognizes top-performing colleges and universities overall and in 17 sustainability impact areas.
After two years, the National Science Foundation-funded CREST STEM Camp returned to in-person activities on campus this summer, giving 26 middle school students from around the Central Valley and beyond exposure to exciting STEM topics and the abundant opportunities that exist in STEM fields.
Rising juniors this fall will have an unprecedented opportunity for stem cell research training that could lead directly to careers in stem cell science after graduation.
UC Merced’s battle against climate change is traveling south of the border as campus leaders joined UC Alianza MX to help launch a strategic alliance between the UC system and counterparts in Mexico.