University Advancement
ABOUT UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
The UC Riverside University Advancement team raises public awareness of UCR's excellence in research, teaching and service. UA encourages, promotes, and secures public and private resources to support:
- Recruitment and retention of world-class faculty.
- High-quality education for the best and brightest students who are reflective
of California's diverse population. - Leading-edge facilities and equipment necessary for inquiry and the creation
of knowledge for the 21st century and beyond.
ABOUT OUR VICE CHANCELLOR
Interim Vice Chancellor Johnny Cruz
Johnny Cruz is interim vice chancellor for University Advancement, overseeing Development, Alumni Engagement, University Relations, and Advancement Administrative Services.
Through his experiences at global nonprofit organizations and leading research universities, Johnny has advanced the causes of higher education, global poverty, and the well-being of children.
He has served as UC Riverside’s chief communications and marketing officer since 2018.
Before joining UCR, he led public relations at the global humanitarian World Vision and was chief communications officer at the University of Arizona. Johnny also led external communications at Make-A-Wish America.
Johnny serves on the Council on Strategic Communications executive committee for the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, the Association of American Universities Marketing Steering Committee, and is a CASE@Campus Fellow.
In 2023, the American Marketing Association named Johnny one of the three finalists for the national Higher Education Marketer of the Year.