UC Berkeley is changing the paradigm. Through innovation, we rise to meet our shared challenge—to connect our community during these virtual times. Our approach strengthens our commitment to raising the next generation of leaders and ensuring the diverse voices of our students and alumni are heard.
California magazine won highest honors in the 2020 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards, receiving Grand Gold for alumni magazines in its class. The magazine’s commitment sets a compelling example for excellence in communicating the dynamism of UC Berkeley.
The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) celebrated our Alumni Scholars Program’s Class of 2020 with its first-ever virtual Senior Brunch, welcoming graduating scholars into our alumni community. Live from Oxford, Minh Dang ’06 gave a moving keynote address. Art Wong ’63 urged new graduates to be both ambitious and committed to making their mark.
Our Alumni Chapter leaders have stepped up during this period of “creative convening,” holding monthly virtual town halls and repurposing conferencing features to discover new ways to collaborate. Regional and cultural chapters hosted admitted students during Cal Week, offering bilingual and cultural programming for students and their families.
Virtual events helped alumni make the most of a shelter-in-place summer. Cal Discoveries Travel lecturers took armchair travelers on deep dives into some of their favorite destinations. Though they couldn’t visit Pinecrest, Lair of the Golden Bear campers enjoyed classic creekside activities and campfire speakers ranging from Snap Judgement host Glynn Washington to UC Berkeley astronomy professor Alex Filippenko.
We kicked off the Who Are We Now? series with student-athlete Elijah Hicks ’20 and alumni athletes Jordan Veasy ’17, Isabella Marten ’18, and Maria Smith ’19. Hosted by NCIS and Hill Street Blues star Joseph Spano ’67, the series examines what makes up our identities when we strip away labels and familiar infrastructure. Who Are We Now? brings us collectively closer to understanding the daily indignities experienced by all those who face discrimination and marginalization in our communities.
The Cal community continues to demonstrate our commitment to support one another and our belief in the power of love to transcend differences in difficult times.
Fiat Lux.
Clothilde Hewlett ’76, J.D. ’79
Executive Director
Find all the virtual programs mentioned above at alumni.berkeley.edu/virtual.
