Dear Campus Community,
It’s been another year for the record books!
As we move toward the end of the academic year, I have been reflecting on all the accomplishments by the UC Riverside community over the last 12 months. Like the message I sent to campus last year in June, below you will find a summary of achievements from this year that highlight the various ways we are achieving our mission together.
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP
UCR now has 48 active NSF CAREER awards, the highest percentage of Senate faculty of any UC campus. Eleven faculty members received new CAREER awards for study of machine learning, converting greenhouse gases into energy, data science use and education, bioengineering with CRISPR, and composition of Dark Matter, among other topics.
Dr. Deborah Deas, vice chancellor of health sciences and the Mark and Pam Rubin Dean of the UCR School of Medicine, and Professor Mario Sims were elected to the American Academy of Medicine; and Distinguished Professors Sean Cutler and Charles Wyman were named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors.
Professor Rickerby Hinds’ play was selected for Ford Theatre’s 2024-25 season; and Distinguished Professors Allison Hedge Coke and Susan Straight wrote books that were shortlisted for the National Book Award (finalist) and Kirkus Prize, respectively.
APPLICATIONS, ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT SUCCESS
UCR had the second highest year-over-year increase in applications for Fall 2023 of any UC campus with a record 56,462 freshmen applications. UCR has long enrolled the highest percentage of California students (excluding Merced). The campus also received a 7.2% increase in applications for international students.
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, or NSF GRFP, 2023 cohort includes 14 awardees and three honorable mentions among current UCR undergraduates, graduates, or alumni.
ATHLETICS
This year, UCR Athletics broke records across several sports. The men’s soccer team won the Big West regular season title and conference tournament; and the men’s basketball team had the most regular season wins since entering Division I.
Among the women, Tiffany Le secured two additional firsts – as Big West Women’s Golfer of the Year, and by advancing to the NCAA Championships.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION AND REPUTATION
For the fourth year in a row, US News ranked UCR the No. 1 public university in social mobility. Since the ranking for social mobility was put in place, there has only been one university to hold the #1 public spot. Additionally, the Chronicle of Higher Education ranked UCR No. 1 in freshmen retention, where Pell recipients comprise 50% or more of undergraduate students; and Washington Monthly ranked UCR no. 4 for Pell Grant performance, which measures the number and graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients.
UCR School of Medicine ranked No. 5 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Most Diverse Medical Schools ranking.
REPUTATION
This year, UCR launched a new advertising campaign, “Bold Hearts. Brilliant Minds.” The campaign brings attention to UCR’s inspiring and unique story with audiences both in California and out of state.
Over the last few months, news about UCR faculty and research showed up in nearly every major media outlet including CNN, The New York Times, NPR, The Guardian, Popular Sciences, AP, Psychology Today, The Today Show, USA Today, Wired, The Washington Post, MSN, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Forbes, The Hill, VICE, and Newsweek.
The College Tour, a series streaming on Amazon Prime, filmed and aired an episode about UCR, expanding reach to prospective students and parents in the United States and around the world.
FACILITIES
In recent months, I wrote about the efforts to renovate and upgrade some of our older buildings. Last month we also celebrated the groundbreaking for the new School of Business instructional and administrative building. In the fall, we look forward to officially opening the new School of Medicine Education 2 Building and the new Student Health Center.
AND MANY MORE…
There are hundreds of accomplishments each year and though we can’t include them all, I hope this fills you with pride about all we are accomplishing together. Everyone’s efforts are moving UCR ahead.
CELEBRATING ASSOCIATE CHANCELLOR CHRISTINE VICTORINO
One person leaving an indelible mark on this campus as she prepares to step down from her role is Associate Chancellor Christine Victorino. To recognize all she has done at UCR, we invite those who worked with her to a reception on June 26 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at The Barn. If you plan to attend, please register.