Gold Shield, Alumnae of UCLA

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For more information about Gold Shield and its programs, please reach out.

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Honoring faculty

Since 1986, Gold Shield has recognized outstanding faculty with the Faculty Prize. This year’s $35,000 prize will go to a professor from south campus.

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Supporting scholars

More than 1,000 students have benefited from our undergraduate scholarships, Ethnic Studies graduate fellowships, summer internships, and mentoring.

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our story

Gold Shield is an honorary organization of UCLA alumnae who are distinguished leaders, dedicated to making meaningful contributions to the university. While membership begins as a commitment to UCLA, it quickly becomes something more — a connection to a dynamic network of accomplished women who inspire and support one another.

Our work reflects values that guide both our internal culture and our external impact:
Innovation – Striving for excellence and relevance through collaboration and forward-thinking service
Inclusion – Building a welcoming, diverse, and respectful community
Optimism – Approaching challenges with positivity and purpose
Integrity – Acting with honor, transparency, and trust
Friendship – Nurturing connections that span generations

scholarship and support

Our Impact and Why It Matters
Since 1936, Gold Shield’s members have played a vital role in advancing the university’s mission and uplifting the people who make it great. We invest in people—with a belief that lasting impact begins with individual opportunity, support, and recognition.

Investing in the Next Generation
Gold Shield provides meaningful financial and personal support to UCLA students, helping to ease the burdens of higher education and create pathways to success. Our programs include:

• Undergraduate Scholarships – Supporting students across disciplines with financial awards that make a real difference
• Stipends for Ethnic Studies Summer Internships – Enabling students to gain real-world experience while advancing equity and cultural understanding
• Graduate Fellowships in Ethnic Studies – Encouraging academic leadership in areas that deepen UCLA’s inclusive excellence
• Personalized Mentorship – Connecting students with accomplished alumnae for guidance, support, and inspiration

Together, these initiatives help Bruins thrive — academically, professionally, and personally.

Recognizing Faculty Excellence
The Gold Shield Faculty Prize honors exceptional mid-career faculty members who shape the UCLA experience through inspired teaching and academic leadership. This $35,000 award is one of the most prestigious campus-wide recognitions, alternating annually between North and South Campus to ensure a wide-ranging impact across fields of study.

A Tradition of Generosity, A Commitment to the Future
Our impact is not only measured in dollars, it’s reflected in the lives we help shape, the communities we strengthen, and the university we continue to champion. With your help, Gold Shield can continue to help scholars achieve their dream… and invest in our future.

gold shield faculty prize

$35,000 Unrestricted Award for Academic Excellence

Gold Shield Alumnae of UCLA established the Faculty Prize in 1986 to honor outstanding teaching with recognition and a meaningful monetary award—one that could make a real difference in the lives of outstanding faculty in the middle of their academic careers.

Awarded annually, the Gold Shield Faculty Prize recognizes a UCLA faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional achievement in undergraduate teaching, research or creative work, and service to the university. Since its inception, 30 remarkable faculty members have received this honor.

The prize alternates each year between north and south campus disciplines at UCLA on alternating years. Congratulations to Professor Leisy Abrego, Chicana/o and Central American Studies, who was awarded the Faculty Prize this year and was featured in the UCLA Newsroom.

In 2027, the Gold Shield Faculty Prize will recognize a faculty member representing a discipline from a school or department of the south campus of UCLA.

nominating criteria

The recipient of the award must be a mid-career full professor (Step I through V) who has a distinguished record of undergraduate teaching and a terminal degree for at least ten years. Additional criteria include extraordinary accomplishment and promise in research or creative activity, evidence of service to the university, and a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

nomination instructions

To be considered for the award, faculty must be nominated by a UCLA colleague. A complete list of nomination requirements, instructions, and selection criteria are detailed in the Gold Shield Faculty Prize nomination packet, which may be viewed or downloaded by clicking the link below.

leadership

executive board members

president

Suzy Howell

1^st co-VP – membership

Michellene DeBonis

Kathleen Hirose

2^nd VP – programs

Leah Regan

3^rd VP – finance

Julie Treinen

treasurer

Susan Sagheb

recording secretary

Rachel Kumar

communications officer

Tami Brothers

immediate past president

Anne-Marie Spataru