CHAIR’S LETTER
With their reliable annual contributions, Chancellor’s Society donors like you continue to steer the trajectory of UCLA as we move towards the future. We already have so much to celebrate this year, notably receiving a record number of freshman applicants, and ranking as the #1 public university in the nation for the sixth straight year!
Through the collective power of Chancellor’s Society giving, UCLA is able to position itself as a leader in equitable education, research and service, and creates a lasting global impact. Thank you for being a part of our community.
In this newsletter, I am pleased to bring you news from across campus of recent UCLA successes and developments. Furthermore, I hope you have had the chance to join us for one of the many events taking place on the now-open campus, and throughout California. Rest assured we will have many opportunities to connect in coming months, and I hope to see you soon to celebrate everything Blue & Gold.
Wishing you a warm holiday season,
Patrick Petersilia ’71
Chair, UCLA Chancellor’s Society
UCLA’S BLUE & GOLD CHALLENGE UPDATE
In October, Bruins near and far rallied together and collectively made nearly 5,900 donations to our Blue & Gold Challenge—UCLA’s annual crowdfunding campaign with the goal of unlocking a six-figure Challenge gift.
This year, we achieved 168% of our original Challenge goal in record time—allowing us to set the largest stretch goal in the Challenge’s 11-year history. Truly an astounding accomplishment in which we can all take pride!
In addition to the overwhelming support from Bruins everywhere, this year we benefitted from an incredible partnership with UCLA Athletics who hosted the second annual UCLA Athletics Day of Giving as “a challenge within the challenge.” To reach our goal in record time.
Thank you for your support during this exciting annual fundraising initiative—go Bruins! Read more about UCLA’s Blue & Gold Challenge here.
CAMPUS SPOTHLIGHT: CALIFORNIANSFORALL
Early in October, one-hundred-twenty UCLA undergraduates made a pledge along with over 3,000 other fellows over livestream with Governor Gavin Newsom to become a part CaliforniansForAll College Corps, a California Volunteers service initiative run by the office of the governor.
Thanks to this $2.55 million grant UCLA received in January, UCLA will be offering 120 fellowships per year for the next four years, and students will have the opportunity to re-apply for the program. Fellows will receive $10,000 per academic year, $7,000 in living expenses and a $3,000 one-time scholarship after completing their 450 service hours. Up to 75 spots will be set aside specifically for undocumented students; the rest of the slots will be open to Pell Grant recipients.
As the largest state-level investment in a college service program in California’s history, CaliforniansForAll College Corps aims to help create debt-free pathways to higher education. By promoting informed service learning, the Corps empowers students to bring what they learn back to their communities—something that will enrich our society and help strengthen UCLA in the years to come.
This is just one of many initiatives at UCLA created to increase access to a UCLA education, and provide equitable resources to all students. Programs like this are empowered by private giving, and gifts can be used to fund scholarships, facilitate career coaching, and so much more. Visit our website to learn more about ongoing student need, and how you can become involved.
To read more about the CaliforniansForAll College Corps, please click here.
HOW PHILANTHROPY STRENGTHENED UCLA IN 2021-22
Support from donors around the world helped UCLA raise $658 million in gifts and pledges in the fiscal year ending June 30, exceeding its annual goal of $650 million and drawing support from Bruins in all 50 U.S. states and 68 countries. In total, the campus closed its fiscal year stronger than ever—having received more than 74,000 gifts!
With support for areas all over campus, individual contributors like you helped create endowed chairs, care for the unhoused people of LA, enable the basic needs center for students, construct music practice rooms, secure funding to pursue climate change solutions, and so much more.
“Philanthropy positions UCLA to build on our foundation and realize our most ambitious and optimistic visions for the future,” said Laura Lavado Parker, UCLA’s associate vice chancellor for development. Driven community members like you help UCLA to realize this vision a bit more each year, as we strive towards higher and higher goals, in true Bruin fashion.
We are so grateful to all the donors who are inspired by our record of excellence and choose to invest in the betterment of California and the world by supporting UCLA. No matter the size, gifts to UCLA are always used to create a brighter future for us all. We look forward to sharing more news of what our university achieves with this continued funding.
Visit the UCLA Newsroom throughout the year to keep up-to-date with everything happening on campus, and to learn more about critical funding that continues to strengthen UCLA.
WELCOME BACK TO BRUIN WOODS!
We invite you to save the date for our exclusive Chancellor’s Society Bruin Woods Weekend*, which will be held on Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7, 2023. Every year, our community gathers in picturesque Lake Arrowhead to relax and reconnect with one another and UCLA, with a special faculty presentation about the innovative work being done on our campus.
Be on the lookout for more information and invitations in the coming months! To make sure you won’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity, contact us at csevents@support.ucla.edu.
We hope to see you at Bruin Woods!
*This weekend is offered at exclusive pricing for donors at the Chancellor’s Associates level and above.