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Protect Life-Saving Research

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s alumni and supporters of UCLA, your voice is crucial in urging Congress to support biomedical research at our institution and across the country.

As alumni and supporters of UCLA, your voice is crucial in urging Congress to support biomedical research at our institution and across the country. 

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the single largest funder of research at UCLA and the University of California system. Our UC campuses compete nationally to conduct NIH research on behalf of the country, to find cures and develop therapies for diseases and other health afflictions.

On Feb. 7, the NIH announced an abrupt and unprecedented cut to funding for biomedical research. If allowed to continue, this cut will be crippling to the biomedical research efforts at UCLA and all the UC campuses. The proposed cut will the result in significant setbacks to our pursuit of science and our nation’s leadership in biomedical innovation. 

Urge them to prevent this cut from moving forward. 

Thank you for your support of UCLA and biomedical research.

Recent Articles

In Memoriam: Kelli Tani '17

Former Student Alumni Association board member Kelli Tani '17 has passed away in a tragic biking accident. She was 28.

A celebration of life service for the California-born resident of Colorado will be held on at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Riviera United Methodist Church, 375 Palos Verdes Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Those wishing to attend are requested to RSVP for planning purposes by calling Tani's home church, Faith UMC, at 310-217-7000.

A communications studies major and member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Tani, who worked at NBCUniversal Media and Google, participated in UCLA Alumni's Entertainment Networking Night. At the time of her death, she was an MBA candidate at the NYU Stern school of Business.

Tani is survived by her parents, Gary and Cathie Tani; brother, Andrew; fiancé, Jon Hurwitz of Los Gatos, California; grandfather, Koichi Ono; uncles Daryl Ono and Dr. Lloyd Tani of Salt Lake City, Utah; aunt, Colleen Tani; cousins Ryan (Bronte) and Jaclyn Tani, and many family and friends.  She was predeceased by her brother, Christopher; grandparents, Joe and Lorraine Tani and Hisako Ono, and other relatives.

News of Tani's passing prompted an outpouring of grief and remembrances from her friends and colleagues, some of which we share here.

There are no words that could encapsulate Kelli's spirit and her warm nature. Kelli was truly one of a kind. She was so energetic, fun, inclusive, kind, and bubbly. She made everyone feel seen and heard, and was able to fill a room with her light in a very special way - her light only made everyone else's shine brighter. Kelli was very diligent in her work and I always trusted in whatever she was delivering to be of very high quality. She was always someone I could count on. While I respected and admired her professional accomplishments, it was her zest for life and community building ability that made her truly special. She excelled at everything she put her mind to, and that included finding balance in her professional and personal life. Kelli was known to make you feel special and heard, and could connect with practically everybody. Kelli will truly be missed by so many of the lives she deeply touched.
— Eunice Jung, former president, Student Alumni Association

Kelli truly was the most incredible human.  We bonded as a true family on Spring Sing together as we spent countless hours putting together an amazing show for UCLA students and becoming such a close knit unit.  lli was always a bright light in any room. She was thoughtful, selfless, kind, bubbly and the life of the party. She was dedicated and hard working yet also knew how to not take life too seriously. She made any moment more fun and always brought an infectious positive energy that lifted everyone around her and brought people together.
— Abby Freemire

Kelli was my director on Alumni Relations during her senior year and was truly the piece that brought us all together. Our committee was very close that year and we all have Kelli to thank for that. She was incredibly thoughtful, funny, kind, and always there to listen. Her zest for life and those around her was so apparent. She will be deeply missed by us all.
— Grace Hunter

There were so many things I admired about Kelli, but one of the biggest ones was how she so effortlessly and genuinely built community with others. Whether it was her committees or friends, she had such a special way of bringing people together and making them a group that cared for and supported each other.
— Geena Shah

Without a doubt, Kelli was truly a rare and special person. She had the most vibrant and beautiful soul, with a contagious smile and laughter that would light up every room she walked into. She possessed the amazing gift of humor, cared tremendously for her friends and loved ones, and poured her heart and soul into all of her passions. She made an indelible impact on so many of our lives, and I know all of us lucky enough to know her will carry her in our hearts for the rest of our lives. I am grateful for our unforgettable memories and friendship, from the all-star cast we had in Career Networking to losing our voices together at football games to graduating together as SAAniors.
 — Christian Tejeda

Her beaming smile that we all knew and loved was always the first thing you noticed about her, and then quickly after came her radiant light, warmth, and energy. I truly don’t have a single memory of her not smiling or being her happy self. 
 — Paulina Hernandez

Kelli and I were on Spring Sing committee together where we spent so many weekends and long nights preparing for the big show. We became one big family and Kelli was the light in the center of it. She brought so much joy, positive energy, and laughter into every moment. Kelli was such a rare person.
— Amir Ghowsi 

Kelli was my co-Director on Spring Sing. We spent countless hours during one of the most monumental years of my college experience putting together a dream Stage Crew for the event. She was pure sunshine - not only to work with day after day, but to simply be around, laugh with, play with. Her genuine kindness and pure silliness was contagious, and I’ll always be grateful for that time spent with her as a partner in crime, Stage Crew mom and friend. May her unmatched light continue to shine bright on us. 
— Ari Stanton

I am sending so much love to your family. Kelli was so sweet and always made me feel seen & included. I had what I know now was severe social anxiety, and she was quite literally one of the handful of people from my time in SAA with whom I immediately felt comfortable and got to connect with. I'll remember her dearly.
— Tunrayo

Kelli reminds me of the sun, radiating warmth on the days you need it. Big ol' smile on her face whenever I walked into meeting. Thank you Kelli. Your shine made Tuesday nights even better.
— Frankie

I met Kelli during my sophomore year at UCLA. Kelli was a senior and the director of my Student Alumni Association committee. I feel grateful to have met Kelli during this period of my life, because it was a formative time as I was exploring who I wanted to be. I instantly looked up to Kelli, and saw her as the older sister I never had...
— Read more of Catherine Zhang's tribute to Kelli here.

Recent Articles

Dialogue Across Difference Initiative

"Bring people together, and they'll awaken to their common humanity.”

- Dr. Jamil Zaki (War on Kindness, UCLA Common Book 2024)

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he COVID-19 pandemic, political polarization and economic uncertainty have exacerbated growing divisions and we’re experiencing an erosion of discourse. Given the importance of robust communication to the work of a university, then-Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt, Ph.D. ’94, determined that as a public research institution, UCLA must fulfill its mandate to bridge these divides and foster open dialogue, critical thinking and empathy. He convened a committee chaired by UCLA professor David Myers, the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History and director of the Bedari Kindness Institute. Myers says, “The work of the University is to create the necessary friction to generate knowledge in order to serve society. We have to begin by imagining UCLA as a laboratory of experimentation to figure out how to engage people across differences in ways that can build a shared sense of community.”

The committee developed a plan to build a campus-wide culture of respectful communication, called the Dialogue across Difference Initiative (DaD). Interim Chancellor Hunt introduced the program as part of his Four-Point Plan for a Safer, Stronger UCLA. He said, “Part of our learning and growth comes from engagement with viewpoints we may not agree with or readily understand. While this may be uncomfortable, it is also what helps us deepen our thinking, weigh different approaches and consider new ways of looking at an issue.” 

DaD is a long-term commitment to providing the tools and confidence necessary to increase understanding and empathy among Bruins. Open and respectful dialogue is essential to fostering the innovative, collaborative thinking that drives positive change. 

Maia Ferdman ’15, M.A. ’15, is staff director of UCLA’s Dialogue across Difference Initiative and deputy director of the Bedari Kindness Institute. She says, “We are working to support our community to face the extraordinary divides of our time. The challenge for us is how the University can bring people together across differences with more resilience.”

The Initiative has four prongs of engagement: cultivating student capacity to navigate differences; supporting faculty to teach across difference; public programs modeling dialogue and compassion; and training programs and workshops that will be available to students, faculty, staff and alumni interested in building their skills. 

The prongs of activity include workshops for students, staff, faculty and alumni; training sessions; community-building exercises; public lectures, internships and fellowships. DaD will be compiling a digital clearinghouse of existing dialogue-related efforts and opportunities on and off campus so members of the UCLA community can easily find and access them. DaD is also exploring the launch of the Bruin Bridge Builders fund to support students in accessing workshops, internships and conferences. Ferdman says, “We want to elevate many different approaches to dialogue through the Initiative and bring in people from across campus audiences, because culture change requires an all-hands-on-deck approach.” 

The Initiative has also partnered with national nonprofit Resetting the Table to bring their field-tested approach for navigating differences to campus. It is offering their Speaking Across Conflict workshop to various campus audiences, which focuses on effective communication with those who hold differing beliefs. In this training, participants learn a key communication skill for productive conversations. UCLA vice chancellors and deans have taken a version of this workshop, and it is being offered on a regular basis to faculty, staff and students. Ferdman also led a day-long advanced facilitation training for those who often lead groups, specifically around navigating political or other kinds of differences. 

Co-founded by Eyal Rabinovitch, Ph.D. ’05, Resetting the Table supports "collaborative deliberation in the face of strong differences.” Rabinovitch says, “There isn't a substitute for actively engaging in the process of direct communication across differences. People want to gravitate towards areas of commonality out of fear that our differences are destructive. When you're able to share your views, that's much more productive and constructive.” 

A cohort of eight UCLA staff members are participating in the Resetting the Table “Train the Trainer for Higher Education Administrators.” They are learning the program’s framework as well as how to run their own workshops. Cory Rosas ʼ16, director of UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives, is among the group who are participating and will be a resource for future alumni events.

In addition, there is a faculty fellowship in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Center consisting of 16 faculty members from across 11 disciplines including psychiatry, writing, law and disability studies. Members of this fellowship are either launching a new course or revising a course with an eye for advancing values including active listening, empathy and engagement across divides. The fellowship is convening multiple times a quarter to improve and deepen their skills for teaching across difference.

Denise Pacheco, M.A. ʼ04, Ph.D. ʼ11, senior director of UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives, has been a member of the DaD advisory committee since its formation, bringing an alumni perspective to these important conversations. She says, “We are at the table actively seeking to engage alumni as critical stakeholders, to elevate their influence and inform future programs and resources.” As part of her efforts to incorporate the alumni perspectives, to support the development of student leadership trainees, DaD invited alumni board leaders to share their insights.

The Bedari Kindness Institute (BKI) is the administrative home for the Dialogue across Difference Initiative, along with the multidisciplinary research program Initiative to Study Hate. The Institute launched nearly five years ago to study and advance the practice of kindness in the world. Myers says, “This is a multiyear undertaking to transform our culture into one which could tolerate and, in fact, embrace debate and discussion across difference.”

BKI and Alumni Affairs have also partnered with The UCLA Common Experience, which fosters community and inspires activism at UCLA through its selection of a title centered around compelling social issues, to hold an event related to this year’s common book, “The War for Kindness” by Dr. Jamil Zaki. They are in the early stages of planning and hope to invite alumni to join students in discussion with the author. Future plans include expanding student-alumni connections to provide skill-building opportunities.

Since the DaD Initiative was rolled out in late 2023, there has been a strong demand for programming. Ferdman says, “The capacity to communicate constructively across differences is an essential leadership skill for the 21st century. We all need to be able to understand how to navigate differences because we are in a pluralistic, democratic and diverse society.”

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We welcome your thoughts. If you have a suggestion or would like to get involved, please reach out to Dr. Denise Pacheco, Senior Director, Alumni Diversity Programs and Initiatives (dpacheco@support.ucla.edu). To learn more, visit the Dialogue across Difference website. 

Recent Articles

“Art & Science Collide” at UCLA

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ST ART, the largest arts event in the United States, returns this fall with the theme “Art & Science Collide.” The Getty’s arts event brings together 800 artists and 70 cultural institutions across Southern California to engage audiences in art as a way of understanding the natural world. UCLA received nearly $2 million in grants, making it the largest granted recipient. The collaboration between scientific research and artistic expression is a perfect forum for UCLA, with its long tradition of interdisciplinary, cross-campus research.

UCLA museums, professional schools and departments are all contributing to PST ART, including The UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, the UCLA Film & Television Archive and The UCLA Art | Sci Center, founded to bridge the gap between media arts and bio/nano sciences.

Art | Sci is presenting “Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption,” to explore how sound can connect audiences to a deeper understanding of the effects of climate change. The exhibit is co-curated by Victoria Vesna, artist, professor in Design Media Arts and founder of Art | Sci, and Anuradha Vikram, writer, curator and lecturer. As Vikram explains, “We are going for the heart to address the reality of a changing climate. We believe very strongly in the UCLA community, and we want to create a different sense of what is possible.”

“Atmosphere of Sound” will feature exhibitions by 13 artists who use sound and vibration to create innovative works of art.  The exhibition will feature interactive installations, live performances and sound walks. For example, Katie Grinnan, M.F.A. ’99, created two copper cephalopod forms, “The Sensitives,” with touch-sensitive iridescent suckers. When pressed they play a tone that was derived from a fragment of an octopus’ genetic material. Amber Stucke’s sound art installation, “Talking to Plants,” uses two vinyl recordings played simultaneously that were created in response to the questions, “What is the idea of a plant and how would you talk to it?”

The power of sound and vibration creates art that goes beyond the visual, and engages the audience on a physical and emotional level. Vikram says, “Climate change is something that you can't always see, so we wanted to speak to people in different ways about these issues. We think of this exhibition as restorative to keep us going another day. This is a public campus, and we feel strongly that public art is important to reflect conditions that affect everyone.”

The inaugural piece in “Atmosphere of Sound” is the American premier of artist Bill Fontana’s “Silent Echoes: Notre-Dame and the Dachstein Glacier.” With a career spanning 50 years, Fontana uses sound as his medium. His piece is a duet between the sound vibrations of a melting glacier in the Austrian alps and the undamaged but dormant bells of Notre-Dame after the 2019 fire, which he recorded with a scientific vibrometer. The six-channel sound sculpture will be amplified from UCLA’s Royce Hall and at the Nimoy Theater from Sept. 14 through Oct. 5.

Fontana says, “Notre Dame is an incredible cultural icon that was nearly destroyed by fire. Climate change is like a fire that’s destroying the planet. So the idea of having Notre Dame’s bells bear witness to the melting glacier is a reminder of our interconnectedness and the fragility of our world.” He continues, “It makes sense to have Notre Dame’s resonating bells coming out of this historic building, although Royce’s towers have never held bells.”

You can find the PST ART exhibitions and events at UCLA through May 25, 2025.

UCLA Film & Television Archive in partnership with UCLA Cinema & Media Studies Program

“Science Fiction Against the Margins,” Oct. 4 - Dec. 14, 2024, Billy Wilder Theater

This 12-night series showcases innovative sci-fi films beyond the mainstream.

The Hammer Museum

”Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice,” ongoing through Jan. 5, 2025

This contemporary exhibit considers climate change, environmental justice and social justice through art.

The Fowler Museum

”Sangre de Nopal/Blood of the Nopal: Tanya Aguiñiga & Porfirio Gutiérrez en Conversación/in Conversation,” ongoing through Jan. 12, 2025

A multivocal exhibition that focuses on immigration and labor justice through ancestral knowledge and technical experimentation.

The Fowler Museum

"Fire Kinship: Southern California Ecology and Native Art," ongoing through May, 25, 2025

The exhibition argues for a return to Native fire practices, in which fire is regarded as a vital aspect of land stewardship, community wellbeing, and tribal sovereignty.

UCLA Art | Sci Center

“Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption,” Ongoing through May, 31, 2025

Thirteen artists bring interactive installations, live performances, sound walks and more experiences that demonstrate that ambiguities of sound can help audiences understand the rapidly shifting state of the climate and its effects on the physical world.

UCLA Arts Conditional Studio

“Conscious Tether: Art and the Internet in LA,” Oct. 5 - 20, 2024

Contemporary artists living and working in Los Angeles respond to work on and with the internet.

The UCLA Center for the Art of Performance

“Live Night: Cruising Bodies, Spirits and Machines,” co-presented by CAP UCLA and REDCAT at The United Theater on Broadway, Dec. 7, 2024

A night of experimental performances by Rafa Esparza, MUXX collective, among others.

Getty's PST ART (formerly Pacific Standard Time) can be found throughout Southern California through May 2025. For more information, visit their website. 

Recent Articles

Introducing Our New Logo

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very Bruin has a story. Whether it’s a story of struggle or success, of growth or giving back, each journey is unique and very often life defining. Together, these stories give power and strength to the collective. They inspire, they illuminate, they enrich our understanding of our Bruin identity and diversity. The narratives of all 660,000-plus alumni cannot be told all at once, but with a renewed focus on what makes each person extraordinary, we boldly proclaim to every UCLA alum, “We see you!"

This logo is the visual identity of our alumni community, representing the connectedness of each one of our living alumni to UCLA. Intended to convey a colloquial, friendly, approachable vibe, it’s a call for Bruin camaraderie and engagement. The singular, gender-inclusive and commonly used term “alum” speaks to you as an individual, providing a contemporary update that honors your personal and professional needs, and contributions to the community. Simply put, we’re here to tell your Bruin story. 

Our new logo and visual identity will be rolled out throughout the coming months. A lot of exciting things are in the works, which we look forward to sharing with you soon.

Recent Articles

Running It Back

DeShaun Foster’s ’14 career is a highlight reel of standout moments and game-changing accomplishments.

• Pac-10 Champion
• All-American
• NFC Champion
• Sixth longest touchdown run in Super Bowl history
• UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee
• California High School Hall of Fame inductee

His most recent feat: Head Coach for the UCLA Bruins.

On Feb. 12, 2024, Foster was named the 19th head coach of his alma mater, ushering in a new era of UCLA Football. Since then, Foster has been tirelessly preparing the Bruins under the three pillars he lives by.

“If you turn on the T.V., discipline, respect and enthusiasm are things you should see us producing,” said Foster. “If you come around the weight room, that’s what you should be able to see. If you see our guys in classes, that’s what you should see. If you see them in their dorms or apartments, that’s what you should be able to see. You should see discipline, respect and enthusiasm from our kids and staff in all facets.”

Foster, of course, is no stranger to Westwood.

As a student, the Bruin running back capped off his prolific playing career ranked second among UCLA players in touchdowns (44), third in rushing yards (3,194) and fifth in scoring (266 points). In his senior year, Foster led the Pac-10 in rushing with 138.6 yards per game; he helped lead the Bruins to a Pac-10 Championship title in 1998. He was named an All-American in 2001.

In 2002, the Carolina Panthers drafted Foster in the second round of the NFL Draft. Two years later, Foster and the Panthers won the NFC and punched their ticket to Super Bowl XXXVIII where he produced the sixth-longest touchdown run in Super Bowl history. After four seasons with the Panthers, Foster joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2008, where he would go on to conclude his professional playing career.

Foster joined the staff of the Bruins’ football program in 2012 as a student assistant. He was named a graduate assistant in 2014 (the same year he came back and finished his bachelor of arts in history degree) and served as the director of player development and high school relations in 2015. He had a brief stint in 2016 with Texas Tech as their running back coach, and returned to Westwood in 2017, where he assumed the team’s running back coach position. Foster was named associate head coach in 2023 and became head coach last February.

Having experienced success on all levels, Foster now looks to invest his knowledge in future generations of Bruins.

“I’ve made it to places where many of these players want to go, and now I can let them know that it's possible to compete on a high level while competing in the classroom at a high academic school,” said Foster. “I’ve sat in these seats. I went to school here. I played sports here. I lived in the Village. Ate in the Village. At one point, everything in my life was associated with UCLA and Westwood, and now, I get to continue to invest in these players and build a culture of discipline, respect and enthusiasm.”

Additionally, Foster is determined to resurrect the Bruins’ rich history of tradition – much of which he experienced as a student.

On April 27, the Bruins held the annual Spring Game at the Rose Bowl, something the program had not done since 2015. Dubbed the “Spring Showcase,” the event gave the crowd of 10,000-plus Bruin faithful a glimpse of the 2024 roster and a chance to collect autographs from current players and coaches afterward. Also, fans were treated to the return of another beloved tradition: the Bruin Walk.

Not to be confused with the main thoroughfare on campus, the Bruin Walk is when UCLA players and coaches get off their buses and enter the Rose Bowl, providing UCLA fans the opportunity to cheer on and support the Bruins before they play.

“The Bruin Walk is a big part of UCLA Football history,” said Foster. “It gets players excited. You see the fans tailgating and turning up for the game and you don’t want to let them down. When I was coming to games back in the early 1990s, I always made sure I was there early enough to see the players enter into the Rose Bowl.”

The coach is also looking to implement new traditions into the program. One new tradition began on April 19 when Foster and his staff held the inaugural Friday Night Lights, a festival-like setting where fans could watch an evening spring football practice and partake in games, food trucks and live performances.

As Foster breathes new life into the program, he believes these efforts will also help attract recruits.

“We’re looking for players that are resilient, don't shy away from hard work and are natural leaders,” said Foster on recruiting. “We're truly looking for good people who just happen to be good at football.”

Confident, but humble, Foster knows that while implementing traditions and pillars is crucial to the success of the program, he ultimately can’t revitalize the program on his own.

“Alumni involvement is critical for our program,” he said. “Like myself, they’ve done it all. They’ve sat here, had midterms and finals, played in games and balanced life, so to have them involved and share their experience and knowledge with our players about life on and off the field is huge. I want to help bridge the gaps.”

One practical way Foster emphasized alumni involvement would be to invest in giving career advice and opportunities to current players.

“Some of these guys have aspirations to be in various business fields, and if there are alumni out there that could help give wisdom and access, that would be great. A lot of our guys don’t have time for internships that a college student would normally take on during the summer due to football practice, so being able to help them get career exposure would help them with life after football.”

Of course, alumni are also welcome to contribute resources for the success of the program.

“NIL is a big part of the game today, and I think we’re moving in the right direction. We’ve been doing a lot with Men of Westwood, which is a great opportunity for alumni and fans to support not just the football team, but all the student-athletes at UCLA.”

But most importantly, Foster wants the Bruin community to support the team by showing up this fall.

“Be around and come out to our games,” said Foster. “Sometimes, showing up to our games, whether at home in the Rose Bowl or wherever we are on the road is more valuable than donating money. I like our team this season and we’re excited to compete.”

This fall, after nearly a century as a member of the conference known today as the Pac-12, the Bruins will compete in their inaugural season as a member of the Big Ten Conference. While this change will feature a brand-new slate of competitors and challenges throughout the country, the new head coach and his team aren’t afraid of the change.

“I like this opportunity,” said Foster. “I was always taught to run to the fight. We're not scared of any of the things that come with this change. It’s more exposure for our players and will help them put their best foot forward as more of the nation will be able to see our games.”

The Bruins will begin the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 4:30 p.m. on the road in Honolulu, Hawaii, against the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors. Two weeks later, the Bruins will compete in their home opener at the Rose Bowl against conference opponent Indiana at 4:30 p.m.

“We have some really good stuff going on over here. We’ll keep getting better and better, and when the fall comes, I think you will see a really good product on the field that you're just going to have no choice but to come out and support.”

Learn more about Coach Foster and UCLA Football here.

Recent Articles

New Bruin Send-off Celebrations

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t isn’t a UCLA summer without New Bruin Send-offs! As incoming students and families prepare for their big move in the fall, these celebrations are a welcoming experience to help ease nerves, provide information and share excitement for what’s to come. These casual events range from backyard gatherings to a picnics in the park, hosted by regional, affinity and diversity alumni networks in partnership with Alumni Affairs. They take place in California, as well as across the country and around the world, wherever a delegation of incoming Bruins can be found, and are usually attended by current and incoming Bruin families, local alumni and a staff representative. These first-year UCLA students shared their experiences at their New Bruin Send-offs.

Jeremy Estrella (political science) had a lot of questions about UCLA and wanted to learn more, so he attended the Pasadena, California Send-off. When he arrived at a local park, he made a nametag and met a few UCLA families. The event included games, including a scavenger-hunt where he asked other Bruins get-to-know-you questions which encouraged conversation.

Katarina Shroeter (microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics) attended the Atlanta, Georgia Send-off. She said that since she was out of state and unable to go to Bruin Day, the Send-off was a great alternative to learn more about the school. She was happy when she met a few people and learned that others were just as excited as she was to be going to UCLA. “Being out of state, I feel like it’s nice to know people from where you’re from because you have that built-in community once you get there.” Katarina said that it was nice to know that other people were sharing the experience of moving across the country for school and that the Send-off was “a good way to get to know some people before starting school. It definitely made me more excited.”

Ashlyn Ablao (mechanical engineering) attended the San Diego, California Send-off, and she shared a similar sentiment, “Everyone will have different experiences, but the Send-off gives you the chance to meet new people. I met one of my current best friends at my Send-off.” She described how great it was to meet up once on campus with someone she already knew.

Lauren Morr (biology) from Sacramento said that she highly recommends that people attend a Send-off in their area. “You learn more about the school, and it was really nice to see the UCLA network that you have in your hometown.” Estrella agreed, saying that it was nice seeing people on campus that you met at the Send-off and having that shared experience. And Shroeter remarked, “Even if they don’t become your best friends, it’s a familiar face to see around campus.”

Estrella’s favorite part of his send-off was when everyone shared why they were excited to go to UCLA. He said it made it really easy to “find a common interest with his peers” which made him even more excited to start school.

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Learn more about New Bruin Send-offs happening near you.

Don’t see your hometown? Check back soon as more are continuing to be added.

New students can also learn more about the UCLA Alumni Association and its offerings by watching the 2024 Orientation video.

Recent Articles

The Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits: Addressing a Booming Need

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new $8.05 million gift from Lowell Milken, J.D. ’73, has elevated UCLA Law’s Program on Philanthropy and Nonprofits – established in 2021 with a $3.7 million gift from Milken – to the status of research center. It recently launched as the Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits.

The center will provide much-needed education for UCLA Law students as well as nonprofit professionals who would like to acquire better grounding in the legal aspects of running a nonprofit. The center also aims to provide thought leadership and scholarship for the sector.

Much of the motivation for Milken’s gifts comes from understanding a societal shift happening with aging boomers.

“We are at a unique moment in history, where members of the baby boomer generation have accumulated unprecedented wealth. That wealth is spurring revolutionary change in philanthropy and giving,” Milken said. “Ultimately, this generational wealth shift and the infusion of financial capital into the philanthropic community have the potential to create a profoundly positive impact on society.”

Rose Chan Loui, the center’s executive director, added, “In the United States, so many of the social services that we need are provided by nonprofits. The huge transfer of wealth that has started to happen amounts to trillions of dollars. Lowell wants this next generation of philanthropists to have experts working with them so that they can have the most positive social impact possible with their funds.”

Chan Loui is hoping that a large number of these experts will eventually come from the UCLA alumni community. She also invites UCLA alumni in the philanthropic and nonprofit space to reach out to the center.  Whether it’s to mentor students, participate in panels, or engage with the center’s educational offerings, Chan Loui says they would like to hear from interested Bruins. “We encourage alumni to join our mailing list and talk to us about how they can be involved.”

In addition to courses for those in the J.D. and LL.M. programs, the center will provide executive education programming, as well as special events and talks.

“We’ve had a very busy year,” Chan Loui said.  “We’ve been focusing on different constituencies within the nonprofit and philanthropic world. For example, we had a large convening of arts nonprofits and funders, featuring the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D. ’96. We held a big conference jointly with Loyola Law School that is targeted at practitioners – mostly lawyers, nonprofit accountants and in-house counsel at nonprofits. Due to the generosity of event sponsors, we were able to provide scholarships to 20 law students from UCLA and Loyola to attend the conference.  At the law school, we have been conducting career panels to introduce students to what they can do in the philanthropy and nonprofit world.  Finally, we just hosted at the law school a conversation with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on the challenging issue of homelessness. There are many UCLA alumni out there working in the nonprofit world; we would love to bring them together for an event.”

One possibility for such a gathering might be a discussion of the drama that occurred at OpenAI with the ouster and subsequent return of CEO Sam Altman. Chan Loui co-wrote an article with the center’s faculty director Jill Horwitz and senior scholar in residence Ellen Aprill on the intrigue at the ChatGPT company and how it’s nonprofit status played a large role in the drama. Chan Loui also appeared on CNBC’s “Squawkbox” discussing the situation.

“Open AI is actually a nonprofit with a nonprofit mission, something that a lot of people did not recognize; they were saying, ‘Who are these people and what do they know about artificial intelligence? They don’t even have a financial interest in AI’ – but that is exactly why they were placed there to guard the nonprofit mission.”

Many lawyers who have decided the corporate world is not as satisfying as they had hoped have turned to the nonprofit sector as a rewarding way of using their legal education and experience – despite it being potentially less lucrative.

“Students are often concerned that a career in nonprofit law is not financially viable – but that is not true,” Chan Loui said. “There is a world there that they might be able to fit into someday.

“There’s been some good interest at the law graduate studies level – people who are here getting LL.M.s – and I think it’s because they’re farther along in a career or they’re making pivots.  What you hear the most is that they’re looking for careers that are fulfilling, and that’s what a nonprofit law career can give you. If you find a cause that you’re interested in, it’s a great space to be in. You’re not going to make the same money as being a partner in big law firm or by being a venture capitalist, but you can have a solid lifestyle and at the same time feel really good about your work.

“Nonprofits always need really good volunteers. So if you want to get your feet wet and have specific expertise to offer, e.g., legal or financial, joining the board of a nonprofit is a really good way to get involved in that nonprofit world, to give back. That’s how I started – it was when I started volunteering on boards that I realized how much I liked being in that sector. So I pivoted from doing corporate tax into nonprofit – and I feel that I’ve found my place.

“The tricky challenge with nonprofit law is there's not this defined path as there is for law firms or even for government work. Most nonprofit lawyers have worked at law firms first, or in government or as public interest lawyers, then gotten themselves trained and then moved into nonprofit law practice or nonprofit management. It's a more circuitous path and you can get there in all kinds of ways. But it helps to know that you can go in that direction. We really appreciate people who want to mentor others who are interested in practicing nonprofit law or being in the nonprofit world.”

Chan Loui says Lowell Milken’s inspiration for funding this center is the transfer of wealth from the baby boomer generation to their children. “We need the next generation of lawyers and experts to be advisers to all the philanthropists we are expecting. Many of us are getting to retirement age and there aren’t a lot of people to continue the work, because we haven’t been training them.”

With the advent of the Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits, UCLA Law is taking a large step toward addressing that situation.

To join the center’s mailing list, please email nonprofits@law.ucla.edu.

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Graduation Well Wishes From UCLA Alumni

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lumni were invited to submit well wishes to the graduating class of 2024 and share some pearls of wisdom for the benefit of these new grads. These were some of the responses. 

“This is only the beginning – everything you have learned and loved at UCLA will be with you every step of the way. Exciting things are to come. Congratulations on everything you have accomplished and are yet to. Go Bruins!”

- Lizzy Tsuang ʼ21

“Congratulations Class of 2024! Your sacrifice and dedication has led you to this wonderful moment of possibilities. I will share with you some helpful advice that I received which is to stay connected by maintaining a network of peers and mentors who will be there to help you navigate your next path. Enjoy the journey!”

- Sandra Matthews-Sims ʼ91

“Stay in touch with your UCLA friends as you go through life - it’s so much fun to see what direction everyone goes in. I’m going to the 70th birthday party of a friend of mine from UCLA in the late 1970s! Also, cherish those friendships made in your formative years!”

- Karen Letendre ʼ76

“Congrats, grad! You persevered through challenges that have come your way, both personally and globally, so take time to acknowledge this. Your life will undergo so many more changes, so embrace them and the lessons they will teach you. Believe in your powers - your intelligence, your kindness, your curiosity - and be bold. Don't compare your journey to others because it's YOUR journey. You've got this!”

- Brianna Lopez ʼ14

“You will find your path. Be patient with yourself. You are enough and right where you need to be.”

- Lauren Yang ʼ13

“Cherish your relationships in everything you do and take nothing for granted. Life is truly a fast and unpredictable adventure that will delight and humble you. So enjoy the ride, weather the storms, create your story and keep on living!”

- Gil Hoftman ʼ05

“Thank you all for your efforts to transverse this challenge and improve yourself amongst the best in the world. Let others learn and be inspired through your actions. We can't wait to see.”

- Alan Achterberg ʼ89

“Never stop learning new things. It is a lifelong process. Find your passion. Be kind!”

- Bridget D’Aguilar ʼ03

“Soak in every moment of this great accomplishment, then get ready for the next great adventure! And always remember to stay connected to UCLA.”

- Todd Sargent ʼ96

“Dr. Seuss said it best: 'Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.' Live each day being fully present, and with awareness and gratitude. You are a Bruin, so you are destined for great things!”

- Maureen Leavitt ʼ98

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Going B1G Time

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early 2,500 years ago, ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously stated, “The only thing constant is change.” We hear quotes like that oftentimes, especially when any sort of change happens, whether it’s expected or not.

One change that we can be reasonably sure almost all Bruins (and Trojans across town, for that matter) didn’t expect was the seismic announcement back on June 30, 2022, that UCLA (and USC) would be leaving the Pac-12 Conference and joining the Big Ten Conference on Aug. 2, 2024, once the current Pac-12 television contract expires.

At the very moment when this news broke (thanks to longtime San Jose Mercury News columnist Jon Wilner) that fateful day, I was wrapping up a meeting at the USC Tower in Downtown Los Angeles, marking the end of another fiscal year in my former role as chief alumni relations officer at USC (yes, this Bruin proudly wore cardinal and gold for a couple of decades!).

By the time I got back to my former office on USC’s University Park campus 15 minutes later, the news was everywhere, the Twitterverse (as it was formerly known!) was on fire with every conceivable opinion and my iPhone was blowing up with text messages. And I was not alone, of course…whether a Bruin, Trojan, or anyone connected to any Pac-12 or Big Ten institution, or any casual sports fan for that matter, you couldn’t escape this bombshell news and have some sort of reaction.

To be candid, having been on staff at USC since 2000 (including eight years in USC Athletics before heading over to the USC Alumni Association), I wasn’t entirely surprised that the Trojans were heading to the Big Ten. After all, there had been a “wandering eye” mystique and whispers for decades among the Trojan Family that, as a private institution with a spirited rivalry against Notre Dame – the “golden (dome)” standard of intercollegiate athletics independence – USC should also consider independence, at least in the venerated world of college football, especially as the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference (SEC) continued to pull markedly ahead of the Pac-12 and other “major leagues” (e.g. Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference) in terms of media rights and exposure.

And to be even more candid, as a degree holder from both institutions (and a former member of the UCLA Spirit Squad in the late ʼ80s and early ʼ90s), I felt that I was more excited than practically anyone I spoke to that day or thereafter, Bruin or Trojan! After all, two of my three alma maters (the other being Tennessee, safely tucked away in the Smoky Mountains as a proud member of the SEC), were suddenly making national news and a bold statement that they were giving college sports yet another shot in the arm by joining what is considered the nation’s most prestigious athletic and academic conference (I’ll break that down later in this piece).

Yet, who could imagine UCLA and USC, the Pac-12’s flagship brands for men’s basketball and football (and yes, Arizona could easily lay claim to being the men’s basketball standard the last couple decades), not being part of the West Coast’s preeminent athletic conference? Not many, I posit…but it wasn’t the Los Angeles schools acting in a vacuum.

In fact, the winds of change had been blowing for quite some time, and many will point to the previous summer, when Texas and Oklahoma shook everything up with the news that they were bolting from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2025 (and since then, with so much else in turmoil, that timeline was accelerated to 2024). This development in 2021 put the wheels in motion for more upheaval, and regardless of any of the backroom dealings and conversations to which very, very few were privy (even top-ranking administrators and fiduciary board members, as it turns out), USC and UCLA were in the proverbial catbird seat with illustrious athletic and academic heritage, and key positioning in the nation’s second largest media market.

And while the rich (e.g. Big Ten and SEC) were getting seemingly richer with each passing year with more lucrative media rights deals, the gaps between those “Power 2” and the rest of the Power 5 (Pac-12, Big 12, ACC) were becoming more profound and putting the latter three at an increasing competitive disadvantage. While we can only continue to speculate as to what conversations could have been happening (other than some of the public speculation and jockeying for a potential Pac-12/Big 12 merger after the summer 2021, news of Texas and Oklahoma heading to the SEC), what we do know is that for the reasons announced on June 30, 2022, UCLA and USC were heading to the Big Ten beginning in the 2024-25 academic year to solidify their respective positions as top-tier athletic and academic juggernauts being a part of the most academically renowned Power 5 conference.    

Of the Big Ten’s current 14 members, 13 of them are members of the elite American Association of Universities, a consortium of 71 of the most academically prestigious colleges and universities in North America. The current Pac-12, including UCLA and USC, boasts 9 AAU members, and once UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington join the Big Ten on Aug. 2, the Big Ten will have 17 of its 18 members as part of AAU, while Nebraska – whose AAU status was revoked in 2014 – is believed to be seeking reinstatement in the AAU at some point in the future.

Remember, UCLA has been deemed the nation’s no. 1 public research university for seven consecutive years, so why shouldn’t UCLA, with its illustrious athletics heritage, be a part of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious athletic conference?

Well, now UCLA (along USC, Oregon and Washington) is heading to the behemoth Big Ten, and along with USC will receive full shares of a new Big Ten media rights deal that’s expected to yield at least $60 million per year for each school (while Oregon and Washington – who opted last summer to join the defection to the Big Ten – will receive 50% shares for the next six years), markedly higher than the $25 - $30 million that a 10-member Pac-12 (sans UCLA and USC) was expected to secure. 

Even if the Los Angeles schools stayed in the Pac-12, the most optimistic estimates from industry experts only put the Pac-12’s media value at $500 million per year, or $42 million per institution under the Pac-12’s equal shares distribution model. This underwhelming valuation, along with the continued Pac-12 Networks distribution shortcomings – which for more than a decade caused much consternation and headaches for fans since the Network’s launch back in 2012 – was enough reason to strongly consider a new world order for UCLA and USC, especially as the Big Ten Networks were not only generating significantly more cash for their institutions, but also being more accessible to Pac-12 audiences than their own Networks in their own media backyards! 

And now, with these four Pac-12 powerhouses joining the Big Ten (or B1G as it’s commonly referred), it will boast the nation’s top four media markets:

NYC metro area – Rutgers

Los Angeles

Chicago – Northwestern and Illinois

Philadelphia – Penn State

Five of the top 10 with the addition of:

D.C. metro area – Maryland

And eight of the top 15 with the addition of:

Detroit – Michigan

Seattle – Washington  

Twin Cities – Minnesota

The other Power 2 conference, the SEC, can only claim four of the top 15 media markets.

Of course, the arguments for staying in the Pac-12 were certainly formidable (though not the point of this article), given that concerns were raised about student-athlete welfare considering more extensive travel distances and potential for missed classes, the shirking of decades-long traditions such as annual Bay Area football trips and rivalries such as UCLA-Arizona Men’s Basketball, and UCLA’s intra-system relationship with UC Berkeley (I believe that with their recent rebranding they want to be Berkeley again, even though we’ll refer to them as “Cal” for the purposes of this piece). 

And, of course, once the additional wave of defections was announced last summer with Oregon and Washington joining UCLA and USC in the Big Ten, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah heading to the Big 12, and Cal and Stanford heading to the ACC, more doubts arose from Bruins concerned that our move to the Big Ten started the domino effect leading to the Pac-12’s eventual dissolution (even though Oregon State and Washington State are remaining part of the league as it looks to reconstitute or realign itself in the next two years).  Whether UCLA alumni – who care so deeply for our alma mater whether we are sports fans or not – agree or disagree with the impending move to the Big Ten (and the unfortunate demise of the Pac-12), the reality is that it is happening, and it’s approaching quickly!  

While so much remains to be seen, we can be sure of this much: UCLA’s leadership, thanks to outgoing Chancellor Gene Block and Athletic Director Martin Jarmond, did their homework to assure that being a part of the Big Ten was in the overall best interest of UCLA, the Bruin athletics program and our student-athletes. UCLA Athletics has done extensive research and work to assure that the impact of Big Ten travel, considering a myriad of scheduling models and creative travel matrices, would be more than feasible with enhanced resources (thanks to the Big Ten financial largesse) such as chartered travel and increases in nutritional, physical and mental well-being resources. Let’s also not forget UCLA’s obligation to make $10 million “Calimony” payments each year for the next three years to assist Cal, which will be less resourced in its new ACC home.

What is paramount now, as the Big Ten era quickly approaches, is for the entire UCLA community – alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, friends, donors and fans – to show up, and show up “B1G!” Whether sports fans or not, hopefully Bruins will come together during this unique time, fill the Rose Bowl for UCLA’s historic Big Ten home opener vs. Indiana on Sept. 14 and renew our sense of pride and optimism for this exciting new era of our University. UCLA will have an amplified presence in more regions across the U.S., and will continue to actively program and engage with alumni in former Pac-12 regions such as the Bay Area, Phoenix and Denver, which will continue to be home to tens of thousands of Bruins.

And if you choose to stay on the sidelines for now, hopefully you’ll eventually join the ranks and come out and support UCLA wherever you are, whether that means attending a sporting event, becoming active in the Alumni Association, mentoring our students, volunteering your time, and/or financially supporting UCLA scholarships and other institutional priorities. 

But if you want to wait and see, don’t worry…the next media negotiation cycle is scheduled for 2029-30, and as stated at the beginning of this article, the only thing constant is change.

Go Bruins!

For more information and cool facts about UCLA joining the Big Ten, please visit http://uclaxbigten.com.

Save the date for the Alumni Town Hall on Aug. 2, featuring Athletic Director Martin Jarmond.

Patrick E. Auerbach ’92, Ed.D., is a higher education and nonprofit strategy consultant based in Los Angeles. He can be contacted at patrick.e.auerbach@gmail.com.

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