More than 80 donors, alumni, community leaders, faculty, and students gathered on October 10 for the UC Riverside School of Business’s inaugural Illuminate: A Night for Student Success. Hosted at the Riverside home of longtime UCR supporter and School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board Chair Ching Liu, the evening celebrated the value of experiential learning and raised $112,000 to expand opportunities for business students.
Co-hosted by Liu and Executive Fellow Mickey McGuire ’97, ’99, the event featured cocktails, dinner, and personal stories underscoring the importance of practical experience.
Liu reflected on her 13-year connection with the School of Business: “Dreams like theirs need opportunities, mentorship, and support. Every contribution makes a difference.” Co-host McGuire, drawing on his background as a UCR Business alumnus and pilot said, “The need for experience in business is no different than the need for experience flying a plane. It sharpens our judgment, tempers decision-making, and transforms knowledge into wisdom.”
The program was emceed by Jun Wang ’07 MBA. He highlighted how hands-on learning bridges classroom theory with real-world impact, “. . . these programs shape careers and open doors for students.”
Student Voices: The Impact of Donor Support
The center of the evening was provided by two student speakers who shared how experiential learning altered their trajectories.
German Partida ’24, ’26 MBA spoke first, sharing his journey from financial hardship to leadership.
“I came from a low-income family,” he said. “Growing up, participating in conferences or leadership retreats was simply not possible. There was nothing extra.”
When selected to represent UCR in the Collegiate Leadership Competition, Partida initially feared he would have to decline the opportunity due to cost. However, donor support fully funded his participation.
“That made all the difference. It allowed someone like me to step into a space that pushed me out of my comfort zone and into my potential.”
Following the competition, Partida became Chief Ambassador for the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management and mentors his peers. “Since the competition, I’ve discovered confidence I didn’t know I had,” he noted.
Next, Lanaye Gibson ’26 discussed her experience in the Brazilian Leadership Experience, a study abroad program.
“Many of us on the trip had never traveled internationally or even had a passport,” Gibson said. “From the start, it was clear this was a turning point.”
The group, composed largely of transfer and nontraditional students, visited the Brazilian Naval Academy, spent a week at Fundação Dom Cabral, and worked with the nonprofit Projeto Seu Vizinho, which supports residents of Rio’s shanty towns.
“The sense of belonging, of finding people who truly see you, is something many of us hadn’t felt before,” she shared. “You’re helping first-generation, transfer, and nontraditional students discover what’s possible and what’s next.”
Committing to Student Access
Chancellor S. Jack Hu spoke about UCR’s role in shaping future business leaders through access and innovation and thanked the partners and donors who make these opportunities possible.
Dean Yunzeng Wang later confirmed the success of the fundraising effort. “Thanks to your overwhelming support, we just raised over $100,000 in pledges, nearly double our original fundraising goal. This remarkable commitment will directly create opportunities for our students, funding study abroad, externships, and hands-on projects.”
The evening closed with a sense of shared purpose and the promise that the Illuminate event will soon expand beyond the Inland Empire to connect alumni and friends in cities across the nation.
