During his time as head of UC Santa Cruz, Chancellor George Blumenthal has presided over a campus that has increasingly earned recognition as a research powerhouse. At the same time, UC Santa Cruz became a leader in educational access and support for students of all backgrounds. Upon his retirement this June, help honor this champion of knowledge and opportunity by ensuring permanent funding for a program he treasures—the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internships.

George Blumenthal, 10th chancellor of UC Santa Cruz

A towering presence with a stride to match, Chancellor Blumenthal was appointed following decades of distinguished work as a member of the astrophysics faculty. His work with UC Santa Cruz colleagues Joel Primack and Sandra Faber, along with Martin Rees of Cambridge University, remains the standard explanation of the formation of galaxies and galaxy clusters.

During his tenure as chancellor, UC Santa Cruz faculty have risen to the ranks of some of the world’s most influential. The campus was named a Hispanic Serving Institution and was recognized as a top school for social mobility—more than 40 percent of graduating classes are first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Chancellor Blumenthal’s encouragement and personal outreach were integral to the overwhelming success of the Campaign for UC Santa Cruz. The campus’s first comprehensive campaign raised more than $335 million, expanding capacity for research and opening doors of opportunity for students to reach for their dreams.

And under his leadership, the university forged a historic agreement with the city and county of Santa Cruz that has become a model for resolving town-gown challenges nationwide.

photo of Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program participants
Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program participants

The George R. Blumenthal Fund for the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program

To honor and thank Chancellor Blumenthal for his years of service and significant achievements, a group of friends and admirers is raising a fund to be presented in June—the George R. Blumenthal Fund for CUIP, which will support the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program (CUIP). This is a program with which Chancellor Blumenthal feels strongly connected, and that he valued, championed, and nurtured.

What is CUIP

CUIP complements undergraduate degrees with career-launching experience. Interns earn $8,000 toward academic expenses while planning and completing high-priority campus projects, such as:

  • Marketing planning for the Career and Women’s centers
  • Establishing student recruitment programs for Oakes College and Student Organization Advising and Resources
  • Creating a tree inventory system for Landscape Management
  • Designing and analyzing assessment surveys for the library, Campus Housing, and Instructional Computing

Students invited to the CUIP have demonstrated initiative by organizing campus programs and events. CUIP is an opportunity to build on that potential with team-building and decision-making practice, under the guidance of professionals in the administration. When they enter the workforce, program alumni rank among UC Santa Cruz’s most marketable graduates, able to list obstacles overcome and accomplishments completed.

Private giving supported significant growth in the CUIP in 2018. The program now includes 50 interns annually. Three-quarters of the most recent cohort are underrepresented minorities, and many of their projects specifically benefit diverse groups.

Securing and growing CUIP

The George R. Blumenthal Fund will enable expansion of the CUIP, including additional student stipends, additional staff time to administer the program effectively, and instructional resources for the two-unit leadership course. More students will be able to gain important professional and leadership experience, preparing for their careers while providing help with the important work of the university.

As Chancellor Blumenthal himself says about the program: “Thanks to our donors, we are able to offer students hands-on leadership experience and also get a tangible benefit for the university at the same time. It’s a winning combination.”

Please join us in honoring Chancellor Blumenthal with a gift to the George R. Blumenthal Fund for the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program.

For more information or to make a gift, please contact Jeff Shilling at shilling@ucsc.edu or (831) 459-5591.

George-Blumenthal-sign4-1

</figure>