Thursday, March 31, marks Cesar Chavez Day. In proclaiming the holiday in 2008, President Barack Obama called upon Americans to celebrate the labor and civil rights leader with a day of service. The campus will mark the occasion with the 5th Annual Latino Excellence and Achievement Awards ceremony, recognizing faculty, staff, students, and alumni who foster community through their research, service, and leadership. But let us all recommit ourselves to the ongoing project of equity and excellence in all that we do. In the words of Cesar Chavez himself, “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” 

-note that UC Irvine's offices were closed on Friday, March 25, in recognition of the holiday