Are you looking for a place to make friends, share interests, spend time with Bruins and have a great time? Join a UCLA Alumni Network!
Alumni Networks organize social events, support student organizations, raise scholarship funds, encourage lifelong learning, engage in advocacy on and off campus, foster an inclusive UCLA alumni community all while having fun and building bonds. Whether you’re looking to connect with Bruins who live near you, or alumni who share an interest, perspective or experience, there’s a network for you—and if the group you’re looking for doesn’t exist yet, we’ll help you start it.
Before you begin, you’ll need to decide what kind of network you’re interested in starting.
If you’re interested in creating a group for a particular student-based activity - that’s an Affinity Network.
If you’re interested in organizing events for Bruins in a certain geographic area - that’s a Regional Network.
If you are interested in starting an alumni group that connects alumni through unique perspectives and experiences based on a social identity (race, ethnicity, gender, etc.) - that’s a Diversity Network.
Here are five easy steps to help you get started:
To start an Affinity Alumni Network:
STEP 1
Reach out to set up an exploratory phone meeting with Senior Director of Affinity Programs, Cia Ford at affinityprograms@alumni.ucla.edu.
STEP 2
UCLA Alumni Affinity Networks staff will help you explore how many existing alumni share your affinity and can be contacted, as well as ways to increase this group to ensure the sustainability of the network.
STEP 3
Once the capacity and sustainability of a network is established, Affinity Networks staff will help you send an email invitation for a Meet & Greet. At the event you’ll mingle, determine other ways to reach potential members, discuss who will be a group leader and talk about how the group wants to engage.
STEP 4
Affinity Networks staff will help you identify a wider group of networks with whom to partner and learn from.
STEP 5
Affinity Networks staff will assist new leaders with event coordination, leadership development, membership growth and maximizing on-campus connections with faculty, departments and other university resources.
First Gen Network
The new First Gen Network is supporting students who are first in their family to attend college with a mentor/student kick-off reception and a welcome soirée.
To start a Regional Alumni Network:
STEP 1
Reach out to set up an exploratory phone meeting with Senior Director of Regional Programs, Kristine Werlinich at regionalnetworks@support.ucla.edu. There may already be a group in the works that we can connect you with.
STEP 2
Regional Networks staff will work with you to assess the needs and demographics of the region, and draw from the successes of starting other alumni networks, to help plan a launch event.
STEP 3
Through the mixer and messaging, the Regional Networks staff will partner with you to recruit other volunteers to help connect Bruins with each other, the campus and the community.
STEP 4
Regional Networks staff will collaborate with you, and other volunteers, to help plan a recruitment event – either a meeting or a mixer – to actively seek others interested in helping out and provide an opportunity for interested Bruins to gather.
STEP 5
Regional Networks staff liaisons will work with you to strategize on the growth and next-steps of the network, and support your efforts as you plan out activities for Bruins in the area and find fitting programs based on the region.
Bay Area Bruins
The Bay Area Bruins have been meeting for almost 50 years; they have a calendar packed with events from sports-watching afternoons to coffee meet-ups where alumni get together for camaraderie and conversation.
To start a Diversity Alumni Network:
STEP 1
Reach out to set up an exploratory phone meeting with Senior Director of Diversity Programs, Patricia Nguyen at diversityprograms@support.ucla.edu. Together, you will develop steps to move forward in building an alumni group based on your identity of interest.
STEP 2
With Diversity Programs staff support, you will garner interest for starting a group within the wider alumni community through both passive (data collection, publications, emails, social media), and active (attending meetings, meet and greet with alumni of similar interests) means. We’ll brainstorm ways to foster alumni community around your particular identity of interest.
STEP 3
Utilizing the feedback, organize two to three events and programs over the course of the year that relate to the identity of interest. This can take the form of happy hours, panel discussions, cultural outings, or in collaboration with one of Diversity Programs’ signature events such as Mixin’ It Up or EmPower Hour.
STEP 4
Meet again with Diversity Programs’ staff to measure the feasibility of establishing a formal diversity alumni group based on feedback. Alternatively, the feedback may result in programming on a periodic basis (i.e., a reunion every five years).
STEP 5
At this point, you will be assigned a staff liaison and in partnership, you will develop a strategic one-to three-year plan to further develop the diversity alumni group.
Pilipino Alumni Association
The Pilipino Alumni Association get together for happy hours and cultural events; they also make time for scholarship and mentoring activities, as they build a community of Bruins.
With more than 450,000 Bruins around the world, Alumni Networks are a great way to get together with other Bruins, and everybody wins when Bruins come together. Launching a network is an investment, and the rewards are many. Your social calendar will thank you as you open the door to opportunity!
Here’s what some Bruins have had to say about their experiences:
“Being a part of a UCLA Alumni group has been one of the best things this year. From making new friendships to helping the community, the UCLA Bay Cities Bruins truly showed what being a Bruin was all about. I am so proud to be part of this group.”
– Jennifer Guhit ’02, Social Chair, UCLA Alumni Bay Cities Network
“These programs have our best interests at heart as evidenced by the unyielding support they have provided to our association. From our traditional galas, mixers and mentoring programs, the Diversity Programs are an essential resource to tap into for guidance, collaboration and support."
- Bobby Rimas ’94, UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association Board Member
“UCLA Alumni have an incredible spirit and vision to shine a light on our communities and make them the best they can be. The support that the Alumni Association provides helps us turn that vision into a reality. I believe anyone who gets involved with the UCLA Alumni Association can find a way to create change.”
- Jenifer Logia, President, UCLA Mixed Alumni Association
“I am grateful to fellow alum Matea for making the time to come to San Francisco to help us launch the Daily Bruin alumni network. We look forward to spreading the word about our group and recruiting founding members.”
– Lawrence Ma '95
“By being associated with the Alumni Center, we can make a lot more of our services come to life. They help us stay on schedule with our events. They help us with marketing and outreach, staying relevant and in touch with the undergraduates, assisting us with facilities for events and a lot more. I would not be able to accomplish my volunteer goals without their help.”
-Kelvin Tolbert ’85, President, UCLA Black Alumni Association