“It is a disturbing fact to me,” joked President John F. Kennedy in his 1962 Charter Day speech, “that the New Frontier owes as much to Berkeley, as it does to Harvard University.”
Happy Birthday, Golden Bears! 2018 is an exciting year, marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of Berkeley—the shining star of public education.
How will we celebrate at the Cal Alumni Association (CAA)? By doing what we do best: keeping you connected to fellow alumni, students, and the university. We’ll stay engaged through events like our famous tailgates and hoops parties. We’ll shine a light on the most important topics of the day through CALIFORNIA Live! and continue to highlight the best of Berkeley in CALIFORNIA magazine. We’ll offer fantastic networking opportunities through The Berkeley Network and exciting travel and lifetime learning with Cal Discoveries Travel.
From its first graduating class of a mere 12 students—including “a future governor of California, a congressman, a judge, and a state assemblyman, a clergyman, a lawyer, and a doctor,” according to Kennedy—Cal “has recognized that the purpose of education is not merely to advance the economic self-interest of its graduates.”
No group represents this sentiment better than CAA members, hundreds of whom support our volunteer and advocacy programs that provide important opportunities to be a part of the Cal community and give back to this extraordinary university. Whether working to ensure thousands of deserving students receive scholarships, connecting with lawmakers to advocate for Berkeley, or writing a check to support vital programs and services, you make a difference. You envision the future, and the future is golden.
I agree with President Kennedy. We are in pursuit of more than economic success. We are about building community, ensuring each new generation has an opportunity to thrive, and keeping the light shining. We continue to carry the torch and pass it on to the next wave of graduates, now numbering in the thousands, who will, like you, most assuredly change the world.
So, let’s celebrate! Find out more about how you can join the party. Check out our website at alumni.berkeley.edu/berkeley-150.
Fiat Lux and Go Bears!
Clothilde Hewlett ’76, J.D. ’79
Executive Director
