At a kickoff event for UC Merced’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, the university announced that it has doubled the campaign’s fundraising goal from $100 million to $200 million by the year 2030.
The announcement was spurred by a $15 million donation by longtime supporters Fred and Mitzie Ruiz, which was unveiled at the event titled “Illuminate.”
The “Boldly Forward” campaign will enhance the university's ability to meet the greatest needs of and find solutions for pressing issues facing the Central Valley and beyond. The initiative will also help the campus prepare for increased student enrollment, which is expected to reach 15,000 by the end of the decade.
"Seeing our projections being outpaced is both exciting and humbling," said UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “It’s a reflection of the faith that people have in what we are doing to help provide better lives for families in the Central Valley and to produce leaders for generations to come.”
"Seeing our projections being outpaced is both exciting and humbling. It’s a reflection of the faith that people have in what we are doing to help provide better lives for families in the Central Valley and to produce leaders for generations to come.”
To date, the campaign has raised almost $73 million. This includes transformational gifts from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott and the Ruizes’. The progress of the campaign can be viewed on the Boldly Forward webpage.
“I want to thank our supporters for their generosity and for setting us on this trajectory early on,” said Vice Chancellor and Chief External Relations Officer E. Edward Klotzbier. “I also want to thank our campaign team and event organizers for their efforts behind the scenes and for holding a memorable kickoff event.”
