Dear Colleagues,
Over the last 10 months, I have often shared my priorities for UC Riverside: deepening student success and social mobility; accelerating research, innovation, and economic development; expanding UCR Health; and strengthening partnerships.
These priorities are not new. They were underway before I arrived at UCR. However, as the university evolves, these priorities have risen to the top as the ones we must keep to propel the university into its next phase of greatness.
As we near the end of the academic year, I want to highlight a sampling of achievements that align with these commitments and show the collective efforts of faculty, staff, students, alumni, supporters, and community partners to expand opportunity and impact across our region and beyond.
Deepen our strength in student success and social mobility
This year, UCR was once again ranked No. 1 in the nation for social mobility in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, reaffirming our longstanding leadership in helping students achieve economic advancement through higher education.
One hurdle to student success and social mobility can be the total cost of attendance. But UCR strives to provide significant financial aid to students. The Princeton Review named UCR a top value college for the sixth time and ranked UCR No. 11 in Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid.
Demand for a UCR education continues to grow. In the fall, we welcomed UCR’s largest entering class in campus history. For Fall 2026 admissions, we received more than 87,000 applications, a record high. More students also meant more demand for housing. With the opening of North District Phase 2, we increased affordable housing capacity for both UCR and Riverside Community College District students, helping reduce barriers to enrollment, persistence, and degree completion.
Our students continued to earn prestigious national recognition. This year, five Highlanders received NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. One student became UCR’s first Marshall Scholar while another was chosen for the Goldwater Scholarship program. And recently, MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts student Sara Hovda won the TRIO award for her poetry manuscript.
On campus, the first cohort of graduate students participated in the Randall Lewis Policy Fellowship Program. And in another first, UCR launched the Bridge to PhD program to support postgraduate success and expand pathways to advanced research and graduate education.
Accelerate mission-driven research and innovation
Across disciplines, UCR faculty continued to demonstrate how discovery, creativity, and innovation can improve lives, strengthen communities, and help address some of society’s most complex challenges. They also received national and international recognition.
Four professors earned prestigious NSF CAREER awards. Distinguished Professor and Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development Rodolfo H. Torres and Professor Yadong Yin were named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Other faculty honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship for historian Georg Michels and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Allison Benis-White.
Professor John Jennings received the NAACP Image Award, while four UCR researchers were selected to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.
The university continued to bring nationally and internationally recognized thinkers and artists to campus to engage with our broader community. We launched the Provost’s lecture series with National Academy of Engineering President Tsu-Jae King Liu. Writers Week returned for its 49th year and featured authors such as Viet Thanh Nguyen and Ilya Kaminsky.
In April, I welcomed Esri founder Jack Dangermond as a Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture speaker as the university celebrated nearly 50 years of collaboration in geospatial science, technology, and education.
Expand UCR Health
As one of the fastest-growing regions in California, the Inland Empire continues to face significant shortages of physicians, healthcare facilities, and specialty care. UCR is answering the call for more support.
Just before the academic year began, UCR Health announced major expansion plans that will increase access to healthcare services across the Inland Empire. Our plans include the addition of several health clinics in the region and the development of a Specialty Ambulatory Clinic in Canyon Spring. More developments will be announced soon.
Meanwhile, UCR Health expanded support for employees with a healthcare program designed to improve access and coordination of care for faculty and staff.
The School of Medicine continued to earn recognition for its leadership and impact. Dean Deborah Deas was named among the Inland Empire’s most influential leaders. And last November, UCR hosted a California gubernatorial candidate forum to discuss the future of healthcare access and regional growth.
Together, these efforts reflect UCR’s continued commitment to expanding healthcare access in our region.
Power the economic and cultural future of Inland Southern California through partnerships
Partnerships continued to play an essential role in advancing UCR’s mission and regional impact.
This year, UCR began construction on SoCal OASIS® Park, a development park designed for collaboration between the campus community and industry leaders.
The university announced a new collaboration with the California State University system focused on expanding artificial intelligence education and workforce preparation.
A joint leadership meeting between UCR and Riverside Community College District was held to discuss enrollment trends in our two institutions and to explore ways to expand student transfer pathways.
And so much more…
The accomplishments highlighted above represent only a portion of the important work taking place across UC Riverside each day. Behind each example are countless additional contributions.
Thank you for everything you have done this year to support our students, advance discovery, serve our region, and move UC Riverside forward. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and optimistic about all we will continue to build together in the years ahead.