The Universe Will Not Be Paraphrased
By Urja UpadhyayaCal astrophysicist Eugene Chiang has chased total solar eclipses across three continents. His advice: stop extrapolating from the partial you saw once, and just go.
Our Priorities
Connecting more than half a million UC Berkeley alums to today’s students, to our university, and to each other. We’re on a mission to create an inclusive, vibrant community where Cal alums worldwide can enjoy a lifelong relationship with Berkeley.
Our Values
Excellence of UC Berkeley
We are committed to the preservation of UC Berkeley as a world-class public, teaching, and research university.
Steve McConnell / UC Regents
Home of Cal Spirit
We predicate our work on a deep appreciation for UC Berkeley and all that makes it excellent.
Paul Espanola / Cal Alumni Association
Welcoming and Inclusive
We are actively working to create a culture of belonging that is committed to diversity and equity.
Commitment to Innovation
We deliver dynamic programming to engage our global alumni community and connect us to each other and the university.
Alan Nyiri, courtesy of the Atkinson Photographic Archive / UC Regents
Our Mission
Since its founding in 1872, the Cal Alumni Association (CAA) has endeavored to advance and promote the interests of the University of California, Berkeley by connecting alums with each other and our alma mater. We inform, engage, and inspire alums to support the university by:
- Participating and volunteering in university activities
- Acting as ambassadors and advocates on behalf of the university
- Giving to the university
Create Opportunities
We will prioritize high-yield engagement activities that serve and support our diverse and unique community of alums.
Make the Connection
We will serve as the hub that links alums to each other and to the multiple facets of our alma mater.
Build Together
We will forge coordinated, impactful relationships between the university and its alums.
Work for the Future
We will be important partners in students’ success, lending our full support during key milestones in the student life cycle and creating networks that advance equity at Berkeley.
Support the Cal Alumni Association
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and self-funded organization, the Cal Alumni Association relies on support from its alums to operate its programs and provide scholarships to Cal students. When you make a contribution to CAA, you enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that your gift will have significant impact on vital programming for alums and students, as well as on the future of the university.
Categories
Recent Headlines
The Secret Life of Oski
By Urja UpadhyayaIn honor of Oski’s 85th birthday, the Cal Alumni Association spoke with five alums who served on the committee between the late 1960s and 2025. What emerged was not one story but five overlapping ones, each shaped by a different decade's idea of what Oski should be.
She Went for Six Months. She Stayed for a Lifetime.
By Urja UpadhyayaShe went to Guatemala for six months and ended up staying for two years. That question — what becomes possible when underserved young people get access to technology and learning — never left her.
The City That Made Her
By Urja UpadhyayaShe left high school in the middle of 10th grade, experienced housing insecurity while at Cal, and never set out to be mayor. Now she runs the city that made her.
Our Partners
