Alumni

Frequently Asked Questions

• PCI Partnership

  To support our effort to capture as many Highlander stories as possible, the UCR Alumni Association is partnering with PCI, whose trained staff will work with us to interview you. PCI will also help collect and assemble the stories into the Highlander Stories book that we can share with all Highlanders. Please note, we have only shared your contact information with PCI in conjunction with this project. We have NOT sold your contact information, or otherwise used it for outside marketing.

• Do I have to buy something?

  No. The project is completely funded by the alumni who choose to purchase the Highlander Stories book that will be produced at the end of the project. Various book packages will be offered.

  We are excited to embark on a project like this with the support of PCI and our extraordinary alumni. We sincerely thank every person that participates and chooses to purchase the book. 

• I received an email/postcard/phone call asking for my personal information and a story about UC Riverside. Tell me more about this project.

  We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce an Oral History Publication for the UCR Alumni Association and UC Riverside. PCI is a family-owned business based in Dallas, Texas that has published directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities, and military organizations across the nation for over 100 years. This project allows us to hear about your personal experiences from your time at UC Riverside and how the school helped shape your life since then. And, while we have you on the phone, we want to make sure your contact information is up to date.

• Does the UCRAA or UC Riverside benefit from this at all?

  Yes, in a few different ways:

  • Updated Information – allows us to effectively communicate with and engage alumni
  • Story Telling – we would love to reuse compelling stories through UCR Alumni social media, alumni newsletters, etc. 
  • Legacy – sharing and collecting stories preserves the history of our school
• There are different phone numbers to call on the emails I received versus the postcard. Which do I call?

  PCI has provided a handful of phone numbers that are specific to UC Riverside that will transfer you to a PCI representative. Any of the numbers you have received whether in an email, postcard, or on this website are all safe to call. 

• How do I know my information will only be used for Oral History Project purposes?

  PCI is committed to protecting your information. The names, addresses, and information provided to PCI for the publication of the Oral History Project will be held confidential, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Oral History Project, and as required by law. Upon completion of the project, PCI will redact Personal Identifiable Information from all electronic files in connection with the production of the Oral History Project.

• I would like to verify or update my information and share a story. How may I do this?

  If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Oral History Project. The representative will verify all the information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, and then ask you to share your story about your time at UC Riverside. Your story will be recorded, and the sound clip provided to the UCR Alumni Association at the conclusion of the project. The UCR Alumni Association may then use your story for other projects via social media, newsletters, UCR magazine, etc. 

  If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story. 

• Can I choose what information prints in the publication?

  The only information that is included in the publication is your name, class year, and degree, along with your story and photo. No contact information is printed. When you call to update your contact information, it will only be used to update your alumni record for the school/alumni association. You may revoke consent for your story and/or photo to appear any time before June 7, 2024, by contacting PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 / customerservice@publishingconcepts.com. 

• I updated my information but need some more time to think about what experience to share.

  You can call back at any time before June 7, 2024, to share your story.

• I shared a story and the representative said I could send a photo. How do I do this?

  You will receive an email with a link to upload one photo (black and white or color) plus a caption. 

  If you have also purchased a book but do not have an email address on file, you will be sent a photo mailer to send a physical photo in to be printed (note: the photo will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).

• Can anyone purchase a book?

  The UCR Alumni Association Oral History Publication is available for sale only to UC Riverside alumni.

• When will I receive my book?

  The total duration of the Oral History Project is about 12 months. Since we began the project in December 2023, the books will be distributed in December/January 2024/2025.

• I ordered a book over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?

  Contact PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 and they will take care of this for you.