This year, we welcomed more than 16,000 students to the UC Santa Cruz campus. They remind all of us who care about UCSC what is important about our efforts and our support.

Some are daughters, sons, and grandchildren of proud UC alumni, of whom there are now more than 80,000. Almost one in two of the frosh class (45%) is first in family to earn a four-year degree. That’s an amazing number. It speaks to the value and resilience of the UC system - and our campus - and the vital link of higher education in the continuing redefinition of California and the nation.

For them and for all of us, in good economic times and these turbulent ones, UCSC is an optimistic link to the future.

The UCSC Foundation, now 37 years old, is ramping up its support to meet the times. We’re newly energized, reaching out more widely and deeply to alumni, friends, donors and the academic community. As the leading philanthropic partner of the campus, our work is growing to meet new demands.

Buoyed by a committed campus leadership, we believe that UCSC can continue to do two things well as it heads toward its mid-century mark. We can reaffirm the founding tradition of educating the whole, socially responsible student; and we can be flexible and embrace change to meet future challenges, always keeping in focus our core principles and our mission.

We ask you to join us in this vital quest.