C San Diego’s Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS), the only Pacific Rim-oriented school of international affairs in the country, celebrated its tenth anniversary last October when 150 alumni gathered for a weekend of classroom and civic-spirited activities.

Several IR/PS faculty conducted a series of panel discussions on public-policy issues such as NAFTA, economic integration in the Pacific, and the latest trends in the global telecommunications industry.

As a matter of public service, the alumni conducted clean-ups at the Torrey Pines State Reserve and the Tijuana River estuary, and helped out at the St. Vincent de Paul shelter for the homeless in downtown San Diego.

Export Access, an IR/PS student endeavor that provides market research consulting services to private and public entities, completed a study of the economic impact of UC San Diego on the San Diego region. The study found that, in the San Diego region alone, more than 120 companies with total revenues close to $2 billion have spun-off from UC San Diego faculty, staff, students, and research.

In spring 1997, IR/PS hosted Philippines President Fidel Ramos, who visited the campus to receive the UC San Diego Medal in recognition of his efforts to consolidate democracy and stimulate economic growth in his country. Many of the people who accompanied the president expressed an interest in building links between the school and the Filipino business community. For the second year in a row, an annual rating conducted by Transitions Abroad, a bimonthly magazine for people traveling, studying and working abroad, ranked IR/PS one of the ten best graduate programs for international jobs. Other schools on the top ten list include Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.