Ruiz Family’s Gift Moves Campaign Forward, Boldly
It was a big step Boldly Forward.
UC Merced’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign got a nitro-like boost with the announcement Oct. 22 that longtime university supporters Fred and Mitzie Ruiz had donated $15 million to support scholarships for students from the Central Valley.
The Ruizes’ generous gesture brought the Boldly Forward campaign beyond 70% of its original goal of raising $100 million by 2030. So Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz declared a doubling of the goal: $200 million.
“I thank you for everything you do every day for our students and for UC Merced,” Muñoz said in a message to the campus community.
UC Merced’s Administration Building will be named for the Ruizes, who have supported numerous scholarships and endowed faculty seats at UC Merced.
“My personal goal is to help UC Merced to grow,” said Fred Ruiz, chairman emeritus and co-founder of Ruiz Foods, “but I’m most interested in how its presence helps the region continue to develop and benefits the students.”
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By the Numbers, UC Merced Stands Out
Rankings continue to shine brightly on UC Merced. This year saw the university post a third straight spot in the top 100 of U.S. News & World Reports’ ranking of national universities. Washington Monthly, which bases its rankings in publicly available data focuses on student outcomes, placed UC Merced in its top 50.
In reference to these and other impressive rankings, Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz remarked in his State of the University address: “By any measure, this is a very good report card for a 17-year-old. I always say that we don’t do what we do to pursue rankings. Rather, we pursue excellence, and the world takes notice.”
