Casual Astronaut

Students Learn Techniques to Build Generational Wealth

Many students graduate from college with limited experience with financial planning. As they start full-time professional positions, new grads are not only making the transition from school to work; they also have to learn quickly about budgeting, saving, student loan payments, and taking advantage of 401(k)/403(b) matching and other retirement benefits.

Margarita “Maggie” Landeros ’09: Leading On Campus and Beyond

My parents are from Guanajuato, Mexico, and I am the oldest of four siblings. As a proud Compton native, my identity as a Mexican American and the educational disparities I witnessed in my low-income community drive my work as an educator. I help to improve college access in communities like my own through my work with school counselors and my involvement with Cal.

Celebrating LGBTQ+ Alumni Career Journeys

“It was only in June of 2020 that the US Supreme Court ruled that federal anti-discrimination laws now protect LGBTQ+ leaders from employment discrimination in every state. This is a step in the right direction and a catalyst for us all to continue uplifting the rights and stories of our LGBTQ+ students and alumni,” says Cal Alumni Association (CAA) Chief Program Officer Anh Tran ’06.

COVID-19 Vaccine Science and Facts

In February, the Cal Alumni Association’s UC Berkeley Black Engineering and Science Alumni Club (BESAC) hosted COVID-19 Vaccines: Science and Facts, a virtual event on how the virus replicates, the impact it has on the immune system, and the transmissibility of its variants.

‘Your Network Is Your Net Worth’: Connecting the Next Generation of Leaders

Jacob Neel ’20, who started his first job during the coronavirus pandemic, shared that at Cal, he learned how to “normalize rejection as redirection.” Austin Drake ’18 reminded everyone that “you have to have the audacity to ask.”

‘Justice for Communities of Color’: Amber Gonzales-Vargas ’15 on Inspiring Change

The November 2020 election season is not one that anyone will forget. It was an exhausting period that brought many first-time voters and more people paying attention to the voting process. Berkeley alum Amber Gonzales-Vargas ’15 was meant for this.

“Equal Parts Pain and Joy:” Fred Moten PhD ’94

Candice Elder ’06 Takes Pride in Serving Her Local Community

Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Cal alum Candice Elder ’06 has a background in law and philanthropy and uses it to serve her community every day. Elder is the founder and executive director of The East Oakland Collective, a nonprofit organization that addresses and focuses its efforts on racial and economic equity in East Oakland. She was appointed by the mayor of Oakland in November of last year to a new advisory commission on homelessness as the city’s crisis escalates.

Meet the Cal Pride Scholarship Recipients for 2020–2021

Introducing this year's recipients of the Cal Pride Scholarship, a one-year, merit-based award that recognizes sophomores, juniors, seniors, and incoming transfer students for academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement, as well as their contribution to the LGBTQ+ community.

A Berkeley Reading List for the Holidays (or Anytime)

If quality time with a brilliant read is just what the doctor ordered, the books on this list will keep you company during a season unlike any other.

Cal Alumni Meet with Chancellor Carol Christ

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago hosted a talk with Chancellor Carol Christ. Chancellor Christ gave the chapter members an update on the state of the university and insight into how decisions are made, especially as they relate to the pandemic and out-of-state students. She also shared UC Berkeley's new initiatives and efforts to engage with alumni. The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago is grateful to Chancellor Christ for taking the time to speak with its members.