Guiding Stewards

With children raised and retirement on the horizon, some people might tackle a long-neglected reading list or travel the world. Not Jimmy and Sheila Peterson. Instead of booking a Mediterranean cruise, they signed on for a multiyear commitment as co-chairs of UC Irvine’s $2 billion Brilliant Future campaign.

Under the couple’s leadership, the effort exceeded fundraising goals, thanks to enthusiastic community response; 84 percent of the more than 122,000 donors described themselves as first-time contributors.

“I’m proud of that,” says Jimmy Peterson, former Microsemi Corp. CEO. “And let’s not forget that Susan and Henry Samueli gave $200 million, one of the early gifts that helped kick off the campaign,” he adds. The single largest donation in UC Irvine’s history, the naming gift for the College of Health Sciences was received during the quiet phase of the drive in 2017.

Funds raised will benefit students through more than 260 new scholarships, fellowships and awards; will support cutting-edge research; and will provide capital for innovative new buildings.

The Petersons, both UC Irvine Foundation trustees, also saw alumni engagement boom during the campaign, with 111 percent growth in chapters and networks nationally and around the world.

In recognition of their success and service, the UC Irvine Foundation named the Petersons as recipients of the 2025 UC Irvine Medal. Established in 1984 by then-Chancellor Jack W. Peltason, it’s the campus’s most prestigious award.

The couple were also honored on National Philanthropy Day in 2011 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Orange County chapter as “Outstanding Philanthropists” for their service to Orange County children.

They have seven grown children of their own and have built what they call their “final nest” on 15 acres in San Juan Capistrano. UC Irvine Magazine contributor Cathy Lawhon talked with them recently about what fuels their service ethic and what they plan to tackle next.

What inspired you to become a UC Irvine supporter?

Sheila Peterson: I remember some advice that Susan Samueli gave me over 20 years ago: “If you want to change the world, be affiliated with a university.” Well, I wanted something different from the medical system than what I was encountering with my aging parents and my children. I was looking for more choices for preventive and integrative health. UCI had the vision and foresight at the level of the university to believe in health that was based on lifestyle and not just treatment. UCI has also worked hard to avoid the silo effect among the schools, and I’m impressed with that.

You also had a very personal reason for supporting UC Irvine, didn’t you?

Jimmy Peterson: Yes. UCI saved my life. Upon learning in 2017 of my Stage 4 melanoma diagnosis, with a 14-month life expectancy, many thoughts went through my mind. MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas? Mayo Clinic in Minnesota? Sloan Kettering in New York? And the like. But I wanted to stay close to my home and family. I formed a team of five medical experts. The tipping point was being introduced to a promising new immunotherapy drug. Within 48 hours, UCI enrolled me in a clinical trial for my treatments. I checked into UCI Health’s Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Today I’m cancer-free. UCI is my cancer advocate. Immunotherapy, for me, is the solution; it’s a turning point. A cancer surgeon told me that in a short time, he will no longer have to perform surgeries. No surgery, no chemotherapy, all at UCI.

What was your most satisfying accomplishment of the Brilliant Future campaign?

Jimmy Peterson: I was proud that more than 70 percent of the gifts were $100 or less. That shows how the community really stepped up.

“We’re at a stage now where the world is changing rapidly.
You don’t necessarily need a college education to make money,
but you do need it to be a contributing member of society, to know
what’s going on in the world, to be able to apply what you learn
to interface logically with people all over the world.”

What advice do you have for future campaign chairs?

Jimmy Peterson: We need to really reengage alumni, and when they come to campus, we need to make them feel welcome. Many alumni came to UCI and may have been given a hand up. They should be willing to give back to higher education with hearts, minds and wallets. I always advise people to find a need to fill within UCI and get involved, because UCI is going to transform Orange County and the globe.

Universities face some challenges today. What do you think are the most common misconceptions about higher education?

Jimmy Peterson: We’re at a stage now where the world is changing rapidly. You don’t necessarily need a college education to make money, but you do need it to be a contributing member of society, to know what’s going on in the world, to be able to apply what you learn to interface logically with people all over the world.

Tell me about the role of philanthropy in your lives.

Jimmy Peterson: It’s been the cornerstone of my private life and business life. I’ve always been an advocate of businesses providing 1 percent of their operating cash flow to nonprofits and education. If everyone did that, we wouldn’t need taxes and tariffs.

Sheila Peterson: We both worked in the semiconductor industry. That and raising our seven children were all-consuming. But we always gave something back. We were raised that way. And in the process, we met the most wonderful, lifelong friends and had experiences that changed our lives in amazing ways. We gained as much or more than we gave.