The year was 1960. John F. Kennedy was elected president, "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published and the United States launched satellite Transit I-B into space, ushering in a new era in navigation technology. One other pivotal event happened that year-the University of California, San Diego was established officially on Nov. 18 as the seventh campus in the University of California system.

Now, 50 years later, the UC San Diego community will commemorate that momentous occasion by celebrating Founders' Day on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010. The free event, open to the campus community and San Diego residents, will honor the history and traditions of UC San Diego and takes place in the heart of campus at Town Square from 3 to 6 p.m. To be eligible for prize drawings, attendees are encouraged to register for the event online by 4 p.m. Nov. 16 at the UC San Diego Box Office, http://boxoffice.ucsd.edu.

"Founders' Day gives us the opportunity to honor UC San Diego's founders and the vision they had in creating this world-class institution," said Chancellor Marye Anne Fox. "This is an opportunity for students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and our UC San Diego friends to come together to celebrate the university's achievements, as well as share our future. This event will be entertaining, inspiring and exciting for all."

The festivities will begin with an opening ceremony in a fun, street festival atmosphere featuring all areas of campus-from the six UC San Diego colleges and 10 academic divisions and schools to the alumni association and staff association. Dan Cohen, KFMB-TV/CBS 8 San Diego news anchor, will emcee the program and will feature a variety of guest speakers and entertainment highlighting key moments in the university's history. A student-oriented celebration-described as "not your grandma's party"-will follow the formal program and will kick-off with a surprise celebrity performance.

Founders' Day is one of many 50^th Anniversary events, activities and programs planned to highlight UC San Diego's achievements and transformation from a fledgling campus housed on former military land to a world-class academic and research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the nation. UC San Diego is a magnet for state and federal research dollars and an important economic force locally, regionally and nationally. The university generates 39,000 jobs, making it San Diego County's third-largest employer and each year it contributes $7.2 billion into the California economy, according to the 2008 economic analysis of UC San Diego by CBRE Consulting Inc.

Widely known as a source of innovation and intellectual capital, UC San Diego faculty and alumni comprise some of the most distinguished creative minds in the world including Nobel laureates; Pulitzer Prize winners; Fields Medalists; Tony, Grammy and Academy Award winners; MacArthur Fellows; and National Medal of Science recipients-including Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, who will be recognized by the White House on Nov. 17 as a 2010 honoree. The university's scholars have pioneered new ways of thinking as well as created more than 500 start-ups, including many local biotech companies.

In addition to being one of the nation's leading institutions of higher education and research, UC San Diego is also ranked first in the nation for its commitment to service, and is considered one of the country's most environmentally responsible universities.

"While we celebrate our milestone anniversary, we're also focusing on our future and overcoming the challenges of a young university," added Fox. "We still have a relatively small number of alumni and a small endowment, so it is critical that we engage our alumni, our campus community and university friends to raise money for much-need scholarships and fellowships for our undergraduate and graduate students."

Yet, despite the fiscal challenges, UC San Diego remains committed to providing students driven by aptitude, ambition and hard work access to an affordable education. Invent the Future: The UC San Diego Student Support Campaign is the fundraising beneficiary of the 50^th Anniversary events and activities. The goal of the campaign is to raise $50 million to help fund undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships.

UC San Diego is fortunate to have generous sponsors that have stepped forward to help support 50^th Anniversary celebration events and activities. These sponsors include:

• Visionary Sponsors: Cubic Corporation; Qualcomm; and Sempra Energy
• Innovator Sponsors: VOLT
• Overachiever Sponsor: Cymer Inc.
• True Blue Triton Sponsors: BKM/Steelcase, Classic Party Rentals, Consolidated Electrical Distributors Inc., Swinerton Builders
• Supporting Sponsors: Clark Construction; Skidmore, Owings and Merrill; Turner Construction Company; USE Credit Union; and Webcor Builders
• Media Partners: Clear Channel Communications; KFMB-TV/CBS 8 San Diego; San Diego Union-Tribune; and Time Warner Cable San Diego

For more information on UC San Diego's 50^th Anniversary, please visit www.50th.ucsd.edu.  

About UC San Diego

Fifty years ago, the founders of the University of California, San Diego had one criterion for the campus: It must be distinctive.  Since then, UC San Diego has achieved the extraordinary in education, research and innovation.  Sixteen Nobel laureates have taught on campus; our stellar faculty members have been awarded Fields Medals, Pulitzer Prizes, McArthur Fellowships and many other honors.  UC San Diego-recognized as one of the top ten public universities by U.S. News & World Report and named by the Washington Monthly as number one in the nation in rankings measuring "what colleges are doing for the country"-is widely acknowledged for its local impact, national influence and global reach.  Join us in celebrating 50 years of visionaries, innovators and overachievers.  Visit www.50th.ucsd.edu for more information.