On May 8, 2025, the street surrounding University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) campus was renamed and dedicated in honor of the university’s ninth chancellor, Kim Wilcox, who has devoted 12 years to UCR and has announced his resignation. The street, originally designated Campus Drive, has been renamed Kim Wilcox Drive. The Arts Building, Hinderaker Hall, the School of Business, Orbach Science Library and University Lecture Hall are all located along the street.
The unveiling of one of the remodeled street signs took place in the morning, followed by a lunch reception and a larger campus commemoration at Rivera Lawn in the afternoon for Chancellor Wilcox. Not only were UCR staff invited, but also the students and the Riverside community. While giving a speech, he expressed his gratitude: “A university is only as great as its people, and those at UCR helped transform the campus.” Given his time at UCR, Wilcox has been able to see and experience the university’s full potential. Attendees participated in activities such as booths with games and prizes, including buttons and stickers featuring photos of Wilcox.
Natalie Upp, a fourth-year English major at UCR, pointed out that the university does not commonly host special dedications, sharing, “I think it’s cool that someone can have enough impact to do that and have something changed.” Historically, four other chancellors besides Kim Wilcox have received public commemorations for their influence in shaping UCR into what it is today.
Commemorations such as Spieth Hall, which is named after UCR’s first chancellor, Herman Spieth, who served from 1958 to 1964 and was also the university’s first professor of zoology. UCR’s second chancellor, Ivan Hinderaker, was the university’s longest-serving chancellor. Hinderaker Hall and the coffee shop “Ivan’s,” located inside the building, are named after him.
UCR’s two libraries, the Tomás Rivera Library and the Orbach Science Library, are named in honor of the university’s third chancellor, Tomás Rivera, and sixth chancellor, Raymond L. Orbach. Tomás Rivera was the first Mexican-American chancellor in the UC system, and Raymond L. Orbach initiated the proposals for UCR’s medical school.
But some students have expressed concerns about the inconvenience caused by the name change. James Barragan, a fourth-year aerospace engineering student, articulated, “I feel like having that new street name would definitely confuse some locals who used to come around here. So there’s that kind of transition from one name to another, but there’s only so much we can do. At least the best thing we can hope for is Google Maps to update it.”
Other students, such as Leo Thai, a second-year engineering student, expressed, “It probably [would have] been easier if they kept it. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. It’s still a street.”
Chancellor Kim Wilcox took on the role of chancellor in 2013, and since then, enrollment has grown by more than 25 percent, along with an increase in staff employment. UCR has also added or renovated more than 2 million square feet of facilities, including an additional $1 billion in projects underway. This is the sixth year that U.S. News has featured UCR in the top two spots in its social mobility category.
For the first three years, UCR was ranked No. 1 in the nation among four-year universities.For the following two years, it was ranked No. 2, before returning to the No. 1 position in 2024-25. Under Chancellor Kim Wilcox’s leadership, UCR joined the Association of American Universities (AAU), becoming one of just four AAU members that are also a Hispanic-serving institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution.
During his time at UCR, he became a mentor to many of his students and peers who work alongside him. As a result, Kim Wilcox received the 2023 American Council on Education (ACE) Council of Fellows/Fidelity Investments Mentor Award at the ACE Council’s annual meeting. Wilcox is one of the founding leaders of the University Innovation Alliance, serves on the board of directors of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Presidential Forum and is a founding leader of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities.
He is actively involved in promoting college athletics and academics, as well as addressing issues related to limited resources in urban areas, becoming an advocate for his students. UCR’s Chancellor Kim Wilcox will be leaving his position during this summer of 2025 and will be remembered for his contributions to the university.
