April 19 - San Joaquin Valley UC Alumni Network Hosts Spring Luncheon

MERCED, CA — While others are focused on planning for the physical campus, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jane Fiori Lawrence is busy building the foundation for student life at UC Merced. As a prime architect for the UC Merced student experience, she will share her vision at the San Joaquin Valley UC Alumni Network Spring Luncheon on April 19, 2002 at the Branding Iron Restaurant in Merced.

Lawrence will be the keynote speaker for the event, which is scheduled to begin at noon. Also featured will be an update on planning for the UC Merced campus. All UC alumni, educators and friends of the University are invited to attend.

Since assuming her position with UC Merced on October 1, 2001, Lawrence has taken the lead in planning for co-curricular and student support activities on the new campus and served as a partner in the development of academic programs. With approximately two years until the main UC Merced campus is scheduled to open, she also has focused much of her attention on student recruitment.

The Spring Luncheon is one of several activities presented each year by the San Joaquin Valley UC Alumni Network. More than 700 UC alumni belong to the organization, which includes members from Stockton in the north to Bakersfield in the south.

Membership in the San Joaquin Valley UC Alumni Network is open to alumni with at least 12 units of credit from any of the University of California campuses. In addition to hosting educational and social events, the Alumni Network provides an opportunity for alumni to associate with each other and the University, educates alumni regarding the University's latest achievements and progress, involves alumni in the ongoing development of current and future students of the University and promotes the welfare and development of the University and of the UC Merced campus. Membership is free of charge.

UC Merced, the 10th campus of the University of California system, will be the first major research university built in the United States in the 21st century. Currently employing approximately 85 educators and professionals, UC Merced has a special mission to serve the educational needs of the San Joaquin Valley. The University's main campus in Merced is scheduled to open in 2004 to serve 1,000 students. Over the coming decades, the campus is expected to grow to a student population of 25,000. UC Merced contributes to educational access through the entire San Joaquin region via educational and outreach centers in Fresno and Bakersfield, and the Tri-College Center in Merced.

The San Joaquin Valley UC Alumni Network Spring Luncheon will begin at noon on Friday, April 19 at the Branding Iron Restaurant, 640 West 16th Street. The cost is $15 per person. For reservations and information, please contact Sheryl Lichtig Wyan by phone at (209) 724-4408 or by e-mail at Sheryl.Lichtig@ucop.edu. The RSVP deadline is April 15.