Congratulations Anoushka Bhat '25

"During my freshman year at UCLA, I founded Henna with a Heart, a club dedicated to sharing the art of henna with my fellow Bruins. What began as a small group of students quickly grew into a vibrant community cherished by many across campus. Through this organization, I developed as a leader, built lasting connections and truly found my home at UCLA. This graduation cap is a tribute to that journey. Decorated with dimensional fabric paint and rhinestones that echo the intricate patterns of henna art, my grad cap symbolizes the creativity, culture, and community that defined my UCLA experience."

Thank you to Wescom, the official banking partner of the UCLA Alumni Association, for sponsoring this contest. The winning grad cap was selected by UCLA Alumni Association staff via voting for submissions which remained anonymous. The winner will receive a $500 UCLA Store gift card.

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Honorable Mentions

Rose Saubel ʼ25

“I am an enrolled member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians tribe, and we traditionally bead our graduation caps and wear feathers to represent our heritage and to honor our ancestors. I designed and hand-beaded my own cap which includes several thousand size 11 beads that were stitched down every two beads apart. The edge design of the cap was inspired by my late father's favorite beadwork that he would usually wear on his hats. The blue triangles represent the mountains within my ancestral lands located within the Coachella Valley. I strategically designed three blue mountains on each side to represent my little family including my daughter, my husband and myself. The top part of my cap includes a rose to honor my late Grandma Rose, who I was named after. She was a matriarch of my family but sadly passed away before I could meet her. I dedicate my cap to my late father, family, ancestors, tribe and all of Indian Country as I would not be here without their support and resilience.”

Dulce Lopez Hernandez ʼ25

“This cap represents more than a degree — it symbolizes resilience, dedication and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her daughter. As a first-generation student, becoming pregnant during undergrad was never part of the plan, but life’s timing had its purpose. Against the odds and despite the doubts, I pushed forward. This is for my daughter, who gave me the strength to keep going.”

Jacquelyn Chau ʼ25

“My graduation cap is dedicated to the people who have stood by me every step of the way: my family. Throughout my two years at UCLA, they have been my constant support system and have been there for me through everything. The quote ‘Did it for them’ is a tribute to my parents and grandparents, who are immigrants from Vietnam.

After the Vietnam War, they made the dangerous choice to escape by boat, leaving behind everything they knew in hopes of a better life. They came to the U.S. with nothing but resilience and dreams for a brighter future. It’s because of their sacrifices, strength and love that I’ve had the opportunity to be here at UCLA and succeed in school.

This cap is for them. It’s for their journey, their hopes and the future they made possible for me. I carry their story with me always, and I graduate not just for myself, but for my whole family.”

Sloane Shevin ʼ25

“I specifically chose this movie focused “La La Land” design for a number of reasons. One is because the film is easily one of my favorite films of all time. Since first watching the movie, “La La Land” has been a film I consistently go back to, reminding me that even though plans and paths may change, you can never give up on your dreams. My two dreams in life were to get into UCLA and be in the film industry. Now, both of these goals have been accomplished, it felt very fitting to have that represented on my graduation cap. I also added a few additional "UCLA" touches to the design including Joe Bruin replacing Ryan Gosling from the original poster (with a "25" on his jersey to represent my graduation year), Royce silhouetted in the background, the iconic UCLA lamppost, and of course combining the film name with UCLA.

Momoka Yoshida ʼ25

“I love Snoopy and mushrooms. And I displayed Snoopy and mushrooms’ figure toys on a dashboard in front of passenger’s seat. They always watched over me all the way to go to UCLA. Also, every time I gave friends rides, my little cute figures entertained my friends. That is why I decided to put Snoopy and mushrooms picture on my graduation cap with rhinestones. They are my parts of memories of UCLA life.”

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