Earlier this month, I flew to Beijing, China to meet with alumni and participate in two international conferences. One highlight of the trip was meeting with Dr. Songfan Yang, a UCR alumnus and successful startup founder whose latest company, Kaikai Huacai, provides online cultural and entertainment education for China’s “silver generation,” the booming population of people aged 50 or older.
The UCR delegation participated in Kaikai Huacai’s educational activities, learning to sing a song in Chinese and create a traditional bamboo painting, which was especially meaningful. Bamboo is a frequently used symbol in many cultures. Known for its physical ability to remain strong during a storm because it bends instead of breaking, it’s a symbol of long life, endurance, flexibility, and gracefulness.
The painting class was a lesson in tools. I was impressed at how well our group could produce beautiful art when instructed with the right brushes. It was also a reminder of the amazing work UCR alumni are conducting not only nearby, but around the world.
Later, at a regional alumni event in Beijing, approximately 6200 miles away from the UCR campus, I had the opportunity to share pictures and information about how our campus has evolved. Now, in just a few days, alumni returning to campus will get to experience our growth in person.
Welcome to Our House: Homecoming 2024
This week we welcome returning alumni for Homecoming. A new networking event, just for alumni who are also faculty and staff, kicks off the festivities on Wednesday, October 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. Register to attend.
Then, on Saturday, musical guest Flo Rida will perform hits like “My House” to a sold-out crowd. But the concert is just one of many events happening Friday and Saturday.
Other activities include the Chicano Latino Alumni Homecoming Celebración, a Biomedical Sciences research panel, CHASS Homecoming BBQ Cook Out, and UCR Men’s Soccer match against UC Santa Barbara. Be sure to check out the website for more information.
Thank you to everyone working to welcome and celebrate our Highlander alumni.
School of Business Ribbon Cutting
The new School of Business Building is among the exciting changes alumni may see when they visit campus. On October 18, we held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new space. Features include a computer and finance lab with a stock market ticker, a 350-seat auditorium, faculty and administration offices, and a cafe.
If you haven’t been able to see it yet, you can take a virtual tour with this video from the ribbon cutting.
UTLF Groundbreaking
At the beginning of October, we held a groundbreaking event to celebrate the start of construction on the Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Facility. The building is planned to include two lecture halls, 19 classrooms, six biology labs, four chemistry labs, and a dance studio.
It wasn’t that long ago that we had to lease off-campus space for classes. Thank you to all of those working in Planning, Design & Construction for ensuring that our students have modernized spaces and tools to help them succeed.
Excelencia Again
UCR has once again been certified with the Seal of Excelencia, which recognizes institutions for a commitment to Latino student success. The national certification highlights UCR’s effective practices, data-driven results, and leadership in serving Latino students. You can read more about it here.
Updating Self-Identification Forms
As part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we are asking employees to update the Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form. The information we collect helps ensure that UC is accessible and welcoming to persons with disabilities.
Employees are encouraged to update other demographic information such as race and ethnicity, gender identity, and veteran status, as well.
To self-identify, sign into UCPath and select Employee Actions, then Personal Information. From there, select Disability Status, Veteran Status, or Personal Information Summary (for race and ethnicity or pronouns, sexual orientation, and gender identity).
For more information about self-identifying demographic information, please see the FAQ on Self-Identification Surveys.
Each day that you support our educational and research mission, you are creating a ripple effect that brings knowledge to communities throughout the world. Thank you for all you do to support our ever-growing UCR community.