Gifting Grads

Alumni reflect on the importance of giving back

Daniel Ring

Daniel always thought he’d become a mechanical engineer — until he took his first computer science class. He soon realized that he had a knack for the latter discipline, and was admirably competing with his talented peers. He switched majors and never looked back. It turned out to be one of his best decisions, Ring says.

At UCSB, Ring flourished. He received an education that prepared him for an array of real world experiences, including five-hour job interviews and collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Ring’s prowess eventually attracted the attention of Bloomberg — the global finance, media and tech company based in New York — where he landed a position as a software developer building applications for the company's mortgage services team.

The now-New Yorker donates every year to his alma mater because he “wants UCSB to succeed.” Students and alumni alike benefit when UCSB thrives, Ring says. That’s why his philanthropy to campus builds as his capacity to give grows. As he puts it, “Every little bit makes a difference.”

Katie Records

Katie Records wasn’t a competitive swimmer in high school. She swam recreationally and preferred competitive Irish dancing to hours in the pool. That didn’t stop UCSB’s swimming coach from recruiting Records, however, when he recognized her natural talent. Records’s recreational sport soon became a serious pursuit. 

Her dive into swimming paid off, too. Records emerged a two-time Olympic trial qualifier and, in 2015, was voted Female Athlete of the Year by her peers. For those accomplishments and more, Records attributes much credit to the invaluable support of her Living Scholars donors: Brian and Jan Escalera, and Beverly Colgate, UCSB’s associate vice chancellor for development. Her benefactors provided personal support and assistance, and even attended many swim meets. 

That’s why Records says she gives to women’s swimming — because she believes in supporting the community that supported her. 

“It’s important to start now because down the road, we become removed from [college] and have other ties that pull us away,” says Records, who handles everything from receptions to multi-day weddings at the Bacara Resort and Spa.

“Time at UCSB really shapes the way we take on the rest of our lives. I definitely see my philanthropy growing over time.”