2023 Donor Impact Report

A Message from CAA’s Executive Director

The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) is proud to present our 2023 Donor Impact Report. Each year, we have the unique opportunity to look back, recognize the incredible contributions from our donors, and understand the true impact each donation has on the lives of alumni, students, and members of the Cal community. 2023 was an incredible year for CAA, and we are honored to share this report with you.

In 2023, CAA introduced a new speaker series, Cal for All, bringing alumni from diverse backgrounds together to discuss the important topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice in their work across our Cal community. This summer, the Lair of the Golden Bear celebrated another year of Family Camp success, along with other noteworthy accomplishments. The Lair now offers winter getaways for guests at our fifteen new year-round cabins, and will complete construction of a winterized conference center in 2025. Along with the usual crew of campers, the Lair welcomed middle-school students to Oski Science Camp. The students were able to explore the welcoming campgrounds and take in the beauty of the Lair as they were instructed on a range of topics, including physics, astronomy, and environmental science. Cal Discoveries Travel brought adventurers of all ages to exciting destinations from Italy to Egypt. The Cal Alumni Mentors program continued to facilitate invaluable relationships, enabling Alumni Mentors to impart wisdom to current students and guide them to success during and after their time at Berkeley. We were also proud to revive California magazine’s California Live! series through an outstanding conversation with astrophysicist and Berkeley Professor Alex Filippenko on “Life, the Universe, and Everything.”

CAA is truly grateful to every one of our donors. Your contributions made our progress possible, particularly during the post-pandemic uncertainties that impacted all of us. Each donation to our organization makes a difference—whether it is a gift to our all-encompassing annual fund, or to a scholarship to assist current Cal students—every single donation is a reflection of our collective commitment to keep Cal golden. We invite you to review this report to understand how you have contributed to the future of our incomparable alma mater. I offer my immense gratitude to you for your dedication to CAA and UC Berkeley.

Fiat Lux and Go Bears!

Susie Cohen Crumpler
Executive Director

2023 by the Numbers

2023 by the numbers: 190,060 California magazine readers; 100,565 Cal Alumni Association members; 16,966 Alumni Chapter members, 6,676 Berkeley Network participants; 10,127 Lair of the Golden Bear campers; 1,360 Cal Discoveries travelers; 274 Graduate Wine Collective members; 559 Cal Alumni Mentors program alumni mentors and student mentees; and 62 chartered Alumni Chapters.

Thank You, Donors

As we reflect on 2023, we find ourselves once more in awe of the unwavering donor support we witnessed this year. Your generous contributions played a pivotal role in our journey, transcending geographical boundaries and fostering unity within our diverse community. Our CAA family, whether close Bay Area neighbors or friends from various corners of the world, continued to fuel our mission to connect alumni worldwide. Thanks to all of you, we have made greater progress toward our vision that all Cal alumni worldwide feel welcomed and are actively engaged with the University of California, Berkeley for life.

2023 Highlights

3,714 donors, including 2,636 alumni donors, raised $3,918,386 in 2023. Our 2023 donors live in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, and 45 of 50 US states.

The CAA Fund Snapshot

2023 snapshot represents 3,296 total gifts to The CAA Fund. Total raised: $670,689 with a largest gift of $50,000. Alumni donors represent class years 1939–2023.

Alumni Scholars Program Donor Snapshot

Total gifts by award: $1,215,240 to The Leadership Award and its endowments; $944,975 to The Achievement Award Program (TAAP) Annual Fund, Diversity Scholarship, and its endowments; $66,665 to the CAA Alumni Scholarship Fund. Alumni Scholarship Fund donor snapshot represents $66,665 raised through 1,627 gifts, with a largest gift of $50,000. Alumni donors represent individuals from class years 1946–2023.

Read on to learn how your gifts made an impact on campus and in our Cal community this past year. Thank you for your continued support.

Last summer, 10,127 campers traveled to Pinecrest, California, for a season of fun with excited friends, reunited family, and lively counselors. Campers carried on the cherished traditions and memories that come along with another unforgettable summer up at the Lair.

2023 Lair campers came to Pinecrest from places across the US, with 1,914 families coming from California. Other states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. International campers came from Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, and England.

Many of the Lair’s dedicated campers return year after year, never missing an opportunity to join in on the many activities the beautiful camp has to offer. As always, all are welcome—in 2023, the Lair hosted campers of all ages from infants to 90+ years old. There is something for everyone at the Lair. Whether it’s hiking around the lake, tie-dyeing a t-shirt, or taking a nap under the tree canopy, campers have an array of options.

Enhancing Our Camp Experience

The Lair has undergone significant enhancements to provide campers with the opportunity to experience winter at Pinecrest. Among these improvements, we are thrilled to announce the addition of fifteen heated, winterized cabins. These cozy retreats will allow campers to enjoy the Lair through the colder months, while cozying up in Camp Gold Lodge or enjoying the snowy scenery on sleds and toboggans. We also have laid the foundation for a new lodge retreat center. The construction of this space marks a significant step towards realizing our vision of making the Lair a community gathering place for family reunions, work retreats, weekends with friends, and everything in between.

This year marked the launch of Oski Science Camp. The program welcomed groups of sixty to ninety 6th-grade students for ten weeks in the spring and five weeks in the fall. Students enjoyed an overnight camp mid-week, staying at the Lair for three nights per session. This experience was the perfect enrichment opportunity and an unforgettable introduction to the Lair for potential future Golden Bears!

Alumni Mentors Program

The Cal Alumni Mentors program serves UC Berkeley students from first-generation, low-income, underrepresented, and underserved backgrounds. Recruitment was a huge success, and by the end of the year, 279 Alumni Mentors and 268 students were active in the program. Students were matched with mentors from similar backgrounds, enabling students to build their personal networks. The relationships students form in the Cal community help them gain tactical and practical skills to thrive during and after their time at Cal.

Cal for All

CAA launched a new virtual speaker series in 2023, Cal for All, aimed at creating a more inclusive alumni community. Cal for All brings Berkeley alumni from diverse backgrounds together with Alumni Chapter leaders to discuss diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice (DEIBJ). The series offers a unique opportunity to connect with other alums, exchange best practices, and learn from our speakers about their efforts to promote DEIBJ values in their work and across the Cal community.

Alumni Chapters

UC Berkeley’s Black Alumni Association Celebrates Achievements at ‘Black Grad’

In 2023, UC Berkeley’s Black Alumni Association partnered with the African American Studies department to host a Black Graduation celebration of community, culture and achievement. Continuing a tradition begun in the 1970s, the event affectionately known as “Black Grad” recognizes and celebrates individuals who identify as Black, African, and African American upon completing their undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. Black Grad serves as a joyous occasion to celebrate the resilience, perseverance, and notable accomplishments of Cal graduates.

UC Rally Committee Alumni Chapter Keeps the Golden Bears Legacy Alive

The UC Rally Committee Alumni Chapter was established in 2023. As students, members of Rally Committee promote Cal spirit by rooting on the Golden Bears, educating about the University’s captivating past, and organizing some of the biggest events on campus, like the Bonfire Rally. The UC Rally Committee also stewards some of the university’s spirit symbols, including the Cal Flags; the California Banner; the California Victory Cannon; card stunts; and The Axe, when it is in Cal’s possession. The founding of this brand-new Alumni Chapter is the perfect way for Rally Comm alumni to stay part of the special community they have helped foster among Cal students.

DC Alumni Club Hosts NPR White House Correspondent

The Cal Alumni Club of Washington, DC hosted a reception with Chancellor Carol Christ in conversation with Tamara Keith, White House correspondent for NPR. Chancellor Christ will retire in July 2024 after seven years as Chancellor of UC Berkeley. The Cal Alumni Club of Washington, DC boasts nearly 300 active members and organizes more than 100 events per year.

Are you interested in joining an Alumni Chapter?  Find your Chapter today.

CAA’s alumni travel program celebrated another successful year of life-changing adventures. In 2023, Cal Discoveries Travel hosted a total of 1,360 travelers on 78 trips around the globe. Of our travelers, 744 were returning Cal Discoveries Travel participants, excited to reconnect with other adventurers over a shared passion for experiential learning. We introduced 616 alumni and friends to our program for the first time and shared our unique style of group educational travel.

Below are a few of the incredible itineraries that appeared on 2023’s roster:

Legendary Turkey: Istanbul to the Turquoise Coast

Portrait of Italy: The Amalfi Coast to Venice

Cruise the Rhine & Mosel Rivers: Basel to Amsterdam

Paradores & Pousadas: Historic Lodgings of Spain & Portugal

Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent

“The Circumnavigation of Iceland trip was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. What we saw, the people we encountered, and the accommodations of the trip were extraordinary. I have not one complaint about any aspect of the trip from the time we departed until the moment we returned. And I would not have changed a single moment of our trip. All in all, it was a very impressive and well-executed trip and tour of a fascinating but challenging destination.” —Traveler Francis D. from Granite Bay, CA

The Cal Discoveries Difference

Many of our tours are accompanied by knowledgeable lecturers from the Cal community who offer valuable insights and a deeper understanding of our destinations. In 2023, seventy lecturers and hosts joined Cal Discoveries tours to provide in-depth learning experiences and a special Cal connection.

4.4
Cal Discoveries guests’ average tour rating in 2023
(5 = Excellent, 4 = Very good, 3 = Good)

If you’re interested in joining us for an unforgettable experience with a group of thoughtful members of the Cal community, view our upcoming trips.

California magazine is an editorially independent general-interest magazine that has been telling Cal’s story for more than 125 years. Feature articles inform readers about the world of Berkeley and about Berkeley’s impact on the world. In 2023, California reported on some of the most important conversations happening on campus and in larger society, including what happens when women are denied abortions, the creative potential of artificial intelligence, and life after the Pac-12 athletic conference meltdown.

Live from California

This year, California revived its California Live! event series. Held at BAMPFA (Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive), the sold-out event featured renowned astrophysicist and UC Berkeley professor Alex Filippenko in conversation with California Editor-in-Chief Pat Joseph on “Life, the Universe, and Everything.” Attendees were captivated by the engaging topic and physical demonstrations, and enjoyed further conversations with Professor Filippenko at a gallery reception following the presentation.

Broadcasts from The Edge

California’s podcast series The Edge released five new episodes with a total of 2,189 downloads in 2023. The Edge brings listeners the latest news in science, technology, and social change. Topics range from the impact of long COVID to the abolition of race-based medicine. Every episode features UC Berkeley experts who add fresh perspectives to each unique story.

Listen to The Edge online or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Our committed membership staff responded to more than 7,000 alumni inquiries in 2023. Membership staff represent the public face of CAA and are in constant contact with alumni, providing a wide range of information on CAA, member benefits, and keeping alumni connected to each other and the university.

CAA’s membership totaled 100,565 active members as of December 31, 2023, with 86,495 Life Members, 8,377 Golden Bears Life Members, 4,313 annual members, and 1,380 other members.

2023 Membership Revenue

Membership dues revenue totaled $1,198,899 in 2023; $209,070 from annual memberships; $276,969 from Life Membership installments; $524,060 from fully paid Life Memberships; and $188,800 from Golden Bears Life Membership upgrades.

Since 1934, CAA has supported more than 22,000 students through the Alumni Scholars Program, and awards more than $2 million to UC Berkeley undergraduate students each year. Our scholarships are highly competitive; we typically accept an average of 34% of applicants.

CAA appreciates the alumni volunteers and donors who support the Alumni Scholars Program. During the 2023 selections season, more than 1,000 alumni volunteers participated in application reviews and one-on-one interviews, and 878 students received scholarship awards for the 2023–24 academic year.

In 2023, UC Berkeley admitted 11% of its first-year applicants.* By the 2024–25 academic year, the total undergraduate cost to attend Cal will range from $33,000 to $46,000.† Your time and generosity make attending Cal accessible.

* UC Berkeley offers nearly 20,000 students admission for 2022-23
† Student Budgets (Cost of Attendance)

Now in its third year, CAA’s Graduate Wine Collective sources wine exclusively from wineries owned, operated, or founded by Cal alumni. The Graduate Wine Collective encompasses more than one hundred wineries with roots in the Cal community and proudly supports Golden Bears in the wine industry.

Graduate Wine Collective members receive three shipments per year with tasting notes and recipe pairings. In February, The Graduate Wine Collective held a tasting event at Alumni House for club members, who sampled selections from alumni-owned and operated wineries Mikami Vineyards, Gundlach Bundschu, Teneral, and more. In 2023, 208 club members received The Graduate Wine Collective shipments at their front doors. All proceeds from the wine club support CAA programming for alumni and students.

Let us know if you would like to receive information on upcoming events and learn more about The Graduate Wine Collective.

To our fantastic alumni, students, volunteers, and donors, who played a vital role in making all of this possible in 2023: your invaluable support has been essential, and we deeply appreciate your collaboration. Our commitment to fostering connections between alumni, students, and the UC Berkeley community remains unwavering.

Fiat Lux and Go Bears!