Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The holidays are always a special time for me, a time to relax, recharge, rejuvenate, and spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. It’s also a time to reflect on the past year and an opportunity to look forward to what 2023 will bring. 

There are many areas across CNAS of which I am extremely proud. From our faculty’s cutting-edge research, to student achievements both in and outside of the classroom, to our staff, who keep the college moving forward, and our alumni, parents, and community members who offer their support in countless ways. But what truly stands out is our collective effort to support our students. 

With your generosity, nearly $500,000 in scholarships will be awarded to CNAS undergraduate and graduate students this year! A few highlights of the CNAS Scholarship awards include: 

• $225,000 for students receiving the CNAS Science of Sustainability Fellowship, which provides support for environmental and sustainability research 
• Nearly $40,000 will be awarded to graduate students receiving the Dexiang Dong and Yiyun Cao Graduate Fellowship in Human Virology, and the Leonard Family Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship
• $24,000 for CNAS Dean’s Scholarship and Fellowship recipients

Many of the scholarships also play a critical role guiding the college in creating a community where research, teaching, and public service will thrive, including:

• Excellence in Inclusivity: Enhancing our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in CNAS and across campus
• Graduate Programs: Strengthening support and resources for students in our graduate programs 
• T​​he Science of Sustainability: Sharing, educating, and informing our local, regional, and global communities of our research to improve the world we live in

As a college, we strive to continually make meaningful progress in these areas, but we need your help. As 2022 comes to a close, please consider making a tax-deductible gift, of any amount, to support the success of our students in the following ways:

• The CNAS Dean’s Graduate Student Support Fund provides our graduate students with funding to put towards their educational needs and research.
• The CNAS Dean’s Scholarship and Fellowship Fund provides resources for our exceptional undergraduate and graduate students.
• The CNAS Dean’s Excellence Fund supports the dean’s priorities for student success in the areas of research, academic inquiry, and more.

There’s a reason why UCR ranks first in social mobility among all public universities for the fourth year in a row — and that reason is you. You have supported our students with your time, expertise, and generosity, and your dedication to our mission has been instrumental in making UCR the world-class educational institution it is today. With your continued support, imagine how much more we will accomplish!

Thank you for all that you do and Happy Holidays!

Kathryn Unrich
Dean, College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences