Meet Mary

Mary Watson-Bruce, Ph.D. ’82, has a deep and enduring connection to UC Irvine. A proud alumna, she’s been giving back to the university since 1984 – including the past 29 consecutive years. Her late husband, Dickson “Dave” Bruce, a beloved professor of history, helped anchor their shared life in UC Irvine’s vibrant academic community.

Mary at a Glance:

🎓 Anteater alumna, Ph.D. ’82
🎶 Lover of theater and jazz
🎭 Founding chair, UC Irvine Opera Guild
💛 Longtime donor to areas across campus
📜 Creator of the Dickson Bruce Dissertation Award

Whether you’re inspired by the arts, by research or by someone you love – you can create meaningful change at UC Irvine.

Give today. Give boldly. Give Like Mary.

Mary Watson-Bruce, Ph.D. ’82, has a deep and enduring connection to UC Irvine. A proud alumna, she’s been giving back to the university since 1984 – including the past 29 consecutive years. Her late husband, Dickson “Dave” Bruce, a beloved professor of history, helped anchor their shared life in UC Irvine’s vibrant academic community.

Mary at a Glance:

🎓 Anteater alumna, Ph.D. ’82
🎶 Lover of theater and jazz
🎭 Founding chair, UC Irvine Opera Guild
💛 Longtime donor to areas across campus
📜 Creator of the Dickson Bruce Dissertation Award

Whether you’re inspired by the arts, by research or by someone you love – you can create meaningful change at UC Irvine.

Give today. Give boldly. Give Like Mary.

Fueling the Next 60 Years at UC Irvine

Mary’s first gift was to the UC Irvine Fund because she knew it would provide immediate, flexible support wherever it’s needed most across the university.

By supporting the UC Irvine Fund, you can give the university the power to respond to urgent needs and strengthen what makes UC Irvine a world-class institution: innovation, excellence and access.

What will the next 60 years bring for UC Irvine? Make a gift today and help provide vital resources, invest in state-of-the-art facilities, and create a thriving environment for every student. No matter the size, your gift fuels a legacy of impact and honors the difference UC Irvine made in your life.

$60

Give $60

in honor of UC Irvine’s 60th anniversary

Other Areas to Support

Scholarships and Fellowships

Schools

Schools

UCI Health

UCI Health

Athletics

Athletics

If you’d like to give to an area not listed above, you can search our full collection of funds here.
 
Prefer to give by check?
Please make all checks out to UC Irvine Foundation and write “Give Like Mary” in the Memo Line along with the fund at UC Irvine you’d like to support.
 
The envelope should be addressed to:
 
UC Irvine Foundation
Office of Annual Giving
101 Aldrich Hall
Irvine, CA 92697-5600
 

The University of California Irvine Foundation (UC Irvine Foundation) is a 501(c)3 organization, Tax ID 95-2540117. No goods or services will be provided in exchange for your contribution.

UC Irvine Then and Now:
Snapshots of History and Progress

Much has changed since Mary’s time as a student in the 1970s and 1980s. But one thing hasn’t: gifts from Mary and many more like her have made so much of UC Irvine’s progress possible.
 
We dug into the archives to see how UC Irvine has transformed over the years.