The holidays are always an amazing time for Chancellor’s Associates. As the scholars make their way through the school year, learning, taking exams, and thinking about internships, we can pause to reflect on the generosity of our donors and the impact they make on this amazing program.
I’d like to share some words about impact — why we do what we do. We see examples of impact in the scholars as they join us at our events and in our graduates as they go on to succeed in the world. I am thankful that we can all play a role in their journey.
I encourage you to share the impact you have made as part of the Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship Program. Do your friends and family know that you are supporting so many students through scholarship funding, services and programs? We can all be ready to help spread the message to others so that they may join our mission to recognize and support talented local students.
This work is only possible through the generosity of our Chancellor’s Associates members and with the leadership of our Chancellor’s Associates Council. I am deeply honored to volunteer alongside such committed alumni, community members, parents, faculty and staff. Together, we are driving educational equity and social change.
Thank you all for your dedication to Chancellor’s Associates — our efforts are so important as the scholarship is often the crucial element that bridges the gap between a student's admission and their ability to attend UC San Diego.
Have a wonderful holiday season. I hope you get a chance to spend time with your friends and families, and above all, celebrate the impact we have achieved together.
With gratitude,
Nina Bacas ’87
Chair, Chancellor’s Associates
Antonio and Daniella Esho
Antonio and Daniella Esho are twin CASP scholars who began their journeys at UC San Diego this past fall, studying in the School of Physical Sciences. Daniella is majoring in Pharmacological Chemistry, with the goal of one day attending pharmacy school and exploring modern medicine practices. Antonio is majoring in Biology, motivated by the opportunity to learn more about the human body and its nuances. Both scholars have become rising stars in our CASP community, motivated by the support and guidance of mentors. Mentorship is a key part of their success in CASP and at UC San Diego, allowing them to show their true capabilities and feel like they belong. Mentors help students like the Esho siblings forge a path forward as Tritons.
After completing their UC San Diego degrees, Daniella and Antonio hope to continue onward in the medical field. Daniella hopes her journey will lead to the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and one day opening her own pharmacy that benefits her community with easily accessible healthcare. Antonio’s goal is to become a medical doctor, to have the opportunity to treat patients and support their futures.
“Without the funds you make available to CASP scholars, so much of what I accomplished thus far would not be accessible to me…I would like to express my gratitude for the donors.” – Daniella Esho
“Thank you for the philanthropic support you have lent to first-generation students like me.” – Antonio Esho
In Case You Missed It: Chancellor's Associates Event Photos
Tackling the Health AI Paradox
This past October, we welcomed loyal members and new friends to the Great Hall at UC San Diego as we hosted Dr. Karandeep Singh, Joan and Irwin Jacobs Endowed Chair in Digital Health Innovation and UC San Diego’s Chief Health AI Officer, as he delivered a talk on technology’s rapid progression and implementation. Dr. Singh took the audience on a journey through the early challenges faced by health systems implementing AI tools, as we considered the evolving policies and regulations that have emerged as a result. Predictive and generative AI tools are impacting health outcomes, and many opportunities lie ahead.
Connect to Alumni Regional Clubs and Ambassadors
UC San Diego is an increasingly global institution, with research projects and study abroad opportunities on every corner of the planet. With international students on campus and alumni based all over the world, the Triton community is truly global.
Whether you are in Shanghai, Denver or New York City, you can connect with a local community of Tritons. Tap into the collective power of the UC San Diego network anywhere and at any time by getting in touch with our regional clubs and ambassadors.
UC San Diego Foundation Board Welcomes New Trustees
The UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees welcomed six new and returning trustees to the board for 2024-25, four of whom are UC San Diego alumni. They join a group of distinguished community leaders, university administrators, faculty and alumni representatives who are working diligently to further the campus’s forward trajectory. Including the incoming members, the Foundation Board is a diverse group of 49 trustees who help advance the university’s fundraising efforts in support of research, teaching and public service as volunteer advisors, advocates and donors.
New and returning trustees who were welcomed this year include Melody Gonzales ’02 (Alumni Board President), Martin Hartono ’96, Aiiso Yufeng Li (Jeff), Wendy Kwok ’99, Greg Papadopoulos ’79, Sam Ramji ’94 and Vickie Turner.
If you would like to learn more about volunteering on a campus board or council, please email ca@ucsd.edu.
Fundraising Snapshot
This year is turning out to be a fundraising success story. Our goal is to raise $3M and currently we are ahead of where we were at this time in the past 3 years. Thank you for your support! Most gifts go toward our current use fund, but a number of donors have made gift commitments that count toward the Timmons/Sandstrom Chancellor’s Associates Endowment Challenge — a $1 million match opportunity created through the extraordinary generosity of Sandy Timmons ’81, and her husband, Rick Sandstrom ’72, MS ’76, PhD ’79, which is essential in providing long term support. Limited matching funds remain for endowment support.
Our Chancellor's Associates donors are alumni, including GOLD alumni, staff and faculty, parent of current students, community members, corporations and foundations, and we even have current students making donations. That is a wonderful sign that many people in our larger campus community care about student scholarship support.
Renew your Chancellor’s Associates gift.
With this success, we look forward to continued involvement from our generous community. As the calendar year ends, there are still more opportunities to give. For more information, please contact Steve Sanders, ssanders@ucsd.edu.
Ways to Support Students and Enjoy Tax Savings at Year-End
Year-end gifts to Chancellor’s Associates help our students and provide benefits to you too. As you consider your year-end charitable giving, here are some tax-wise ways to help you support Chancellor’s Associates.
Stocks and Securities: A gift of appreciated securities owned longer than one year can be deducted at fair market value and you will avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation.
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD): Whether or not you itemize, if you are at least 70½, you can make a QCD from your IRA to support Chancellor’s Associates. A QCD is not included in your reportable taxable income and if you take required minimum distributions (RMD), it will satisfy some or all of that amount. Making a QCD is a strategic way to help you manage your overall financial picture, including next year’s RMD and Medicare contributions.
Donor Advised Fund: Now is a great time to contribute to an existing fund and enjoy tax savings when you itemize. You can then recommend a grant (or recurring grant) to UC San Diego and Chancellor’s Associates.
To learn more about these charitable giving ideas or for answers to all your planned gift questions, please contact Kim Wenrick in the Office of Gift Planning at kwenrick@ucsd.edu or at (858) 761-2099.
Chancellor’s Associates Scholars Program Update
In September, we hosted our Annual Academic Year Kick-Off with over 300 scholars in attendance. Scholars enjoyed an evening meeting new friends and engaging with donors, CASP Staff and UC San Diego administrators. Together, we celebrated the beginning of their first quarter as UC San Diego Tritons.
Scholars enjoyed writing thank you notes to donors at this welcome event. They were so eager to express their gratitude that the staff ran out of thank you cards! Luckily, more cards were on the way and additional handwritten notes could be shared. We know that this impactful program connects scholars to donors, and it is an honor to steward this connection through meaningful connection and community.
“We chose you, and you chose us.”
-Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla
This statement shared in earnest by Chancellor Khosla resonates with us today. We are all in this together: council members, staff, donors and scholars. As we forward the mission of Chancellor’s Associates, we are excited for what the future will bring.
Events for January, February and March
Chancellor's Associates Colloquium: Reaching the Brain: Breaking New Ground in Drug Delivery for CNS Disorders
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
5 – 7 p.m.
Join us for our next Colloquium in February where Christine Hyrcyna, Dean of the School of Physical Sciences and the Chancellor’s Associates Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry will discuss a novel approach to the treatment of brain diseases.
Treating brain diseases is often a challenge, as many drugs are not able to enter the brain. This is caused in part by a molecular pump present at the barrier to the brain, which removes drugs before brain entry. We have developed a novel approach to solve this problem by making molecules based on the therapeutic drugs themselves that block the pump temporarily and allow drugs to pass into the brain. This new approach has the potential to improve the treatment of numerous brain diseases and disorders.
Men's Basketball Games:
UC Irvine
UC San Diego | LionTree Arena
Saturday, January 11, 2025
7 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara
UC San Diego | LionTree Arena
Saturday, January 23, 2025
7 p.m.
Hawai’i
UC San Diego | LionTree Arena
Saturday, February 22, 2025
7 p.m.
SAVE THE DATE
Spring Regional Series: New York Alumni Awards
Thursday, March 27, 2025
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If you’d like to renew your Chancellor’s Associates gift online, click below.
You now have the option to designate your Chancellor’s Associates gift to a school, impacting the lives of scholars across campus.
About Chancellor’s Associates:
We believe in proactive philanthropy — the kind that breaks boundaries and levels the playing field for motivated learners. We are a community of supporters including alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends who partner with Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla to address UC San Diego’s most urgent priority: broadening access to higher education. Since 2013, more than 2,500 Chancellor’s Associates scholarships have been awarded to high-achieving, deserving students who are often the first in their families to attend college. Together, we change lives. Learn more at chancellorsassociates.ucsd.edu.
For any questions, please email ca@ucsd.edu or call (858) 822-2540.
