Since its launch in 2010, the Berkeley Connect program has empowered 1,400 undergraduates each semester to expand their academic horizons by matching each one with a personal graduate student mentor who’s pursuing a Ph.D. in the undergrad’s major. The mentors provide individual attention and coach students on how to build productive relationships with their professors. … Continue Reading »
Counselors, recruiters and faculty often give students sound career advice. But students also appreciate the advice of alumni, whose suggestions resonate deeply because of their shared experiences at Cal. Observing this phenomenon, Berkeley’s Career Center worked closely with the Cal Alumni Association and campus partners to create an innovative event series that brings students and … Continue Reading »
The Career Center prepares students to make informed decisions about their futures by providing comprehensive resources. According to its Career Destinations survey (https://career.berkeley.edu/Survey/Survey), here’s what recent graduates went on to achieve: Fifty-six percent of students who graduated in 2016 were employed full-time immediately after graduation. Of the rest, 19 percent went on to graduate school, … Continue Reading »
Last August, the new Golden Bear Orientation (GBO) introduced more than 9,500 incoming students to UC Berkeley during eight jam-packed days of training sessions, ice breakers, tours and academic programming. It was considered the largest orientation of its kind at a U.S. university. Hundreds of student orientation leaders were assigned to small groups of students … Continue Reading »
Student housing is a big concern shared by our Golden Bears and their parents. The rising cost of rent in the Bay Area, and in Berkeley, in particular, is creating serious financial challenges for students, while pushing them further away from campus in search of available and affordable housing. By some estimates, Bay Area rents … Continue Reading »
This past summer, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ tapped Paul Alivisatos to be the campus’ executive vice chancellor and provost, to assist her in implementing her priorities and to lead the institution’s academic enterprise. We sat down with Alivisatos—a distinguished chemist and accomplished administrator who’s served as vice chancellor for research at UC Berkeley and … Continue Reading »
By Cristian Cibils Somehow, our daughter Gaby knew Berkeley was her place. As her parents, my wife Vivianne and I only knew Berkeley as one of the world’s finest higher education institutions, with renowned faculty, famous alumni and breakthrough discoveries. Such a large institution posed so many questions for us nearly four years ago, when … Continue Reading »
By Tracy Flanigan As I write this, I can’t help but notice as I look down that I am wearing a big soft sweatshirt with the word “Cal” emblazoned on the front in six-inch navy script. I wear it not for inspiration, but rather as routine as I often find myself wearing Cal gear around … Continue Reading »
By David Peterkofsky During our third annual online fundraising blitz, donors like you raised more than twice the amount as last year, resulting in the biggest Big Give yet: $11.6 million from more than 9,000 gifts! This support provides vital resources for hundreds of campus programs and student services, and helps our faculty and students in … Continue Reading »
By David Peterkovsky Since UC Berkeley is a public university, many people believe that the State of California covers the vast majority of Cal’s budget. The reality, however, is quite different. Today, the state funds just 13 percent of Berkeley’s overall operating budget (tuition, research funding, philanthropy, and other sources cover the rest). It’s a … Continue Reading »