Ed and Jeanne Kashian, long-standing benefactors of UC Merced, have donated $5 million to bolster the university’s medical education initiatives, the university announced on Wednesday.

The funds will go toward building a cutting-edge medical education facility, set to break ground this spring.

The facility will serve as a hub for health-focused education, training, and research in UC Merced and the Central Valley. It will also house the newly introduced B.S.-to-M.D. pathway, a collaboration between UC Merced, UCSF Fresno, and UCSF aimed at preparing medical students for professional and leadership roles in regional healthcare.

Ed Kashian, CEO of Lance-Kashian & Company, and his wife, Jeanne, a founding UC Merced Foundation trustee and diplomat, have been consistent supporters of UC Merced. Their contributions have spanned various initiatives, including the Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library and innovative stem-cell research. The Kashians’ unrestricted funding has also facilitated the university’s progress in pioneering projects and programs.

“Ed and Jeanne Kashian’s unwavering support of UC Merced spans decades, and their early commitment to help us develop a medical education pathway has been instrumental in making it a reality,” said UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz.

The Kashians’ recent donation is a significant contribution to Boldly Forward: The Campaign for UC Merced, which aims to raise $200 million for campus support by 2030. The campaign has already received gifts and pledges exceeding $96 million since its inception.

“We recognize that higher education has the ability to transform lives,” said Ed Kashian. “Supporting medical education and the new medical education building is a priority for us because it ensures that promising students have access to resources that help them become physicians and health workers who can improve medical care in the Central Valley.”

Read more at UC Merced News.