UC Riverside will pay tribute to Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox and give the campus a chance to wish him well at a farewell celebration on May 8.

Faculty and staff are invited to join the 3 p.m. send-off on the lawn outside Tomás Rivera Library, which will include music, food, and prizes.

Wilcox announced in September that he will be retiring at the end of the academic year after a nearly 12-year tenure leading the university. He has spent his remaining months visiting with many campus and community groups for a final time as chancellor.

The celebration will include a 30-minute program with remarks from a few campus leaders, a DJ playing music, tables and booths with games and prizes, and free food and drinks.

The displays will be organized around the themes of university, community, and reputation — spelling out ‘UCR’ and commemorating Wilcox’s achievements in those areas.

Attendees will have an opportunity to take selfies alongside large cut-outs of Wilcox in various poses and record farewell videos.

Earlier that same day, the campus will unveil Kim Wilcox Drive – the new name for Campus Drive, which loops around the university and will be renamed in his honor.

“This renaming is more than a change of signage — it’s a celebration of leadership, legacy, and the spirit of partnership that defines our campus community,” said Michael Richards, associate chancellor.

The idea to name a street for Wilcox was inspired by UCLA’s Charles Young Drive, named after a member of UCR’s pioneer 1954 class who later became chancellor at UCLA. Christine Victorino, who served as associate chancellor for seven years until 2023, accompanied Wilcox for a UC Regents meeting on the West Los Angeles campus in 2016, taking notice of the sign and thinking UCR could do the same for Wilcox upon his retirement.

Gerry Bomotti, former vice chancellor for planning, budget, and administration, worked with the UC Office of the President, coordinated with Riverside city departments, and consulted with various campus groups in making the change.

Victorino credited Wilcox with inspiring UCR to be the best version of itself, instilling a greater sense of pride among students and employees as the campus’ national reputation grew.

“He altered the way that we see ourselves as leaders and gave us agency to do things we haven’t done in the past in our careers,” she said. “He empowered us to serve the university in the best way we could.”