UC's Community Connections:
Improving California's Quality of Life

The University of California has a distinguished history of public service, beginning with its founding as the state's land grant institution in 1868. Today, UC's campuses, medical centers, national laboratories, cooperative extension offices, the nation's largest continuing education program, and other activities keep UC connected with California communities throughout the state.

UC touches the life of the average Californian every day - from the health care you receive and the food you eat, the roads you travel and the buildings you live and work in, the cell phones and computers that make communication easier, to the classrooms and theaters that enrich your experiences. UC programs improve the lives of Californians of all ages, from the 4-H program that provide after-school activities for urban youth to hip replacements that give senior citizens new-found mobility.

The UC system's campuses, medical centers and national laboratories contribute directly and indirectly to the economic and social prosperity of their surrounding regions. UC facilities, business spinoffs, faculty and alumni are responsible for creating millions of high-paying, quality jobs throughout the state, and UC research has been instrumental in developing the agricultural, high-tech and biotech industries that have made California's economy a global powerhouse.

Beyond its more easily quantifiable economic impacts, the UC system's quality-of-life impacts, or "public benefits," take many forms:

• Health care and medical research
• K-12 student preparation and teacher development
• Long-term partnerships - more than 300 - with elementary, middle and high schools
• Arts and cultural resources (including campus facilities and off-campus programs)
• Sports and recreational programs
• Public health, family and community development (including nutrition, 4-H youth programs)
• Agriculture and the environment (including clean air/water issues and 130,000 acres of natural reserves)
• Local and state resource efficiency (energy, water, habitat preservation)
• Land use and transportation planning
• Seismic and other engineering improvements to public, commercial and residential structures
• Student volunteer programs (helping seniors,
  environmental clean-up, counseling programs)
• Marine science research and education
• Telecommunications and other technological innovations
  that improve public safety and convenience
• Computers and multimedia for office/entertainment
  uses

All of these efforts help create healthier, livable communities and strengten ties between UC and the people of California. Explore this web site to learn more about UC's community connections.