About This Campaign
Befitting a state like ours, the University of California system has a big story to tell. Not only the story of the individual campuses but the powerful impact of UC as a whole — our campuses, medical centers, students, faculty, alumni, and their countless contributions — on your life, and on the lives of all Californians.
"UC The Way Forward" is the name of a new public education campaign launched this spring to inform Californians about the many ways that UC impacts their lives every day. In the coming months, you'll likely see or hear the "UC The Way Forward" campaign in a variety of places — on the web, on public radio, and in other media.
This effort is aimed at creating personal connections with Californians and sharing the often overlooked, untold stories of the university's contributions to the health and prosperity of our families and our communities throughout the state.
The campaign is underwritten by private UC endowment funds available for these purposes, and does not involve any funding from state sources or student fees.
Everyone knows about the academic excellence of the UC system, but its broader social and economic benefits beyond its campuses' borders are not as well known. UC touches every Californian in some way — whether through our health care programs, our agricultural and nutrition programs, our partnerships with K-12 schools, or our research innovations in fields ranging from new medical treatments to alternative energy.
More than ever, building public understanding of how California's public research university contributes to the state's success and vitality is crucial to sustaining UC's long-term ability to fulfill its mission of education, research and service to the people of California.
In the face of budget cuts, economic competition and major social and environmental challenges at the start of the 21st century, the University of California represents in a very real sense our way forward. The campaign asks the simple question:
What state would we be in without it?