the achievement award program
Finding Your Story
TAAP and TLA Scholar Neil Arcellana ’24 shares his story of overcoming obstacles and hopes to advocate for other students facing similar challenges.
“Pursue Your Dreams Fearlessly”: An Entrepreneur’s Wisdom for Graduating Scholars
Ten years ago, I was exactly where you are right now: graduating with big dreams and aspirations ahead.
Yuner Evelyn Lu ’21 Urges Class of 2021 to Realize Its Power
I’m a senior studying electrical engineering and computer science at Cal, and I am honored to share my UC Berkeley journey with you.
What Pedro De Anda Plascencia ’21 Wants His Fifth-Grade Self to Know
Dear Fifth-Grade Pedro: I want to begin by telling you that I love you. You are valid, and you are worthy of love and protection.
A Letter from the Executive Director | Fall 2019
Reflections on an epoch-making year for diversity and student excellence
Freshman Scholar Takes Flight at Berkeley
Justin Hogenauer ’22 dreams of becoming an Air Force pilot, but when it came to choosing where to go to college, he wanted a top-tier school—one that provided the kind of broad academic, professional, and social advantages for which Cal is so well known. “The Air Force Academy was an option,” he says. “But the […]
Creation of The Achievement Award Program
In 1996 California voters approved Proposition 209, which prohibited the consideration of race, ethnicity, or sex in the admission process at public universities. Immediately, the percentage of students at the University of California, Berkeley from low-income, minority communities decreased dramatically. As a result, the Cal Alumni Association (CAA), encouraged by Chancellor Robert Berdahl, formed a task […]
These 3 Young Alumni Are Giving Back to Their Alma Mater
For these three young alumni, giving back is personal. Here's why they volunteer.
Celebrating 85 Years of Alumni Scholarships
Established in 1934 in the depths of the Great Depression, the Alumni Scholars Program now supports 800+ undergraduate scholars each year, awarding more than $2.2 million in financial aid.
Cal Alum Devotes Career to Indigenous Education
By Heather R. JohnsonOnce the first in her family to graduate from college, Christie Poitra has made advancing education equity for Indigenous students her life's work.
The Value of My Public Education
Betty Yee ’79 made her first political act at age 13: a plea before city officials not to close the local school. The move would force her to bus to school, away from her responsibilities to her family business. Her act “was about giving a voice to people who didn’t speak English,” Betty says. “That’s […]
A Letter from the Executive Director | Spring 2018
“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 […]
