Casual Astronaut

Stellar Explosion and Exoplanets: Alex Filippenko at the Lair

“Some stars literally explode in a titanic act of self-destruction at the end of their lives, becoming some million or billion times as powerful as the sun,” Filippenko explains to Lair of the Golden Bear campers. “Exploding stars are not just spectacular to look at, but they’re important for our very existence, because during its life a star generates energy by fusing light elements into heavy elements. Right now, the sun is fusing hydrogen to helium; later it will fuse helium to carbon and oxygen. If stars never exploded, the heavy elements would be forever trapped in their cores and thus not available as raw material for the production of new stars and planets.”

For Young Golden Bears, Support in COVID-Era Job Search

In response to the challenges faced by Alumni Scholars and recent Berkeley graduates in the current job market, the Alumni Scholars Program set a goal of helping Golden Bears connect with alumni to provide interview tips and moral support.

Who Are We Now? For Young Cal Alums, We’re a Community Speaking Up

Recent national events have changed much about the world we live in and have sparked questions about how such events influence our identities. Both personally and collectively, we are wrestling with our individuality and struggling to have productive, honest conversations with one another. That’s why there’s something very special about Maria Smith, Isabella Marten, Jordan […]

Donna Hitchens M.A., J.D. ’77 Never Dreamed of Law, Yet Changed the System

It may be surprising that Donna Hitchens M.A., J.D. ’77—who became the first openly lesbian judge elected to the bench in the United States and spent 20 years of her career on the California Superior Court bench—never dreamed of becoming a lawyer, nevermind a judge.

Soumya Karlamangla ’13 Reports on the Front Lines of COVID-19

In any society, people play specific roles. Some are leaders, some are nurturers, some are creators, and some are builders. All are important. However, in a time of crisis, the demand for specialized roles goes up. During a pandemic, doctors, nurses, and first responders become especially important. And keeping the public informed—now more than ever—is […]

Alumni Create Career Opportunities for the Cal Community

With restrictions on travel and group gatherings, the Cal Alumni Association’s Alumni Chapter leaders looked for ways to share information on serving and engaging chapter members.

A Radical Transformation: Susan Stryker’s Fight for Trans Visibility

How a critical essay on Frankenstein landed Susan Stryker at the front of the then-emergent field of transgender studies.

Cal Alumni Rally Online to Support the UC Berkeley Community

Alumni Pivot to Technology to Interview Scholarship Applicants Cal alumni have always proven themselves to be special, and this year’s scholarship selection process has definitely demonstrated alumni commitment to current and incoming Berkeley students. The financial impact of COVID-19 on families has made the Cal Alumni Association’s Alumni Scholars Program even more important and timely. […]

Alumni Offer Advice to Incoming Students for Cal Week

Cal Day began in spring 2008. For 12 years, the day-long, campus-wide open house allowed prospective students and their families to get a taste of Cal. This April, Cal Day transformed into a digital Cal Week that offered all of the same Berkeley welcome festivities, events, and tours online. The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) traditionally […]

Students Bring the Berkeley Experience Online

Every spring, the Cal Alumni Student Association (CASA) hosts the Overnight Stay Program (OSP) for prospective UC Berkeley students. OSP is a student-run, on-campus weekend event featuring student and alumni panels, campus tours, an overnight dorm stay, and a hike up to the Big C. With its unique student-to-student perspective, OSP offers admitted students a […]

The Leadership Award Helps Golden Bears’ Leadership Shine

Mikela Lazari ’20 projected herself as a leader at the start of her undergraduate career and has been thriving as a leader ever since. She is a two-time recipient of the Cal Alumni Association’s Leadership Award, a one-year scholarship that recognizes undergraduate students at UC Berkeley who demonstrate innovative, initiative-driven leadership. Since 1934, students have […]

From the Executive Director: Community Unites to Face Our New Reality

Our students and alumni are demonstrating their commitment to supporting the next generation of trailblazers in thoughtful and solution-oriented ways, in spite of the challenges they themselves face.