rooted in where we began

The most meaningful growth often happens when we step into spaces that challenge us to see ourselves differently. In this issue, we spotlight Mandla Kayise ’87, M.U.R.P. ’23, whose UCLA journey, marked by setbacks, resilience and an unwavering commitment to community, reminds us that education is most powerful when it is rooted in a purpose beyond ourselves. 

Kayise's story resonated deeply with me. My connection to UCLA did not begin in a classroom. In late 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I began working as a researcher at the UCLA Health Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. It was an eye-opening moment. Witnessing under-resourced communities bear a disproportionate mental health burden in real time made the stakes of our work undeniable. That experience showed me that improving lives requires not only science, but strategy, leadership and a sustained commitment to the communities most often left behind.

Pursuing my MBA at Anderson was a natural next step, not just to continue my education, but to step outside academia and into an environment where ideas meet execution. In the past year, I became a fellow in the Golub Capital UCLA Anderson Board Fellows Program, a social impact initiative that places MBA students on nonprofit boards. Through that experience, I began serving on the board of the Friends of the Semel Institute at UCLA Health, working alongside researchers and advocates to support funding, outreach and community engagement around mental health. The role felt like a full-circle moment, returning to a context I once served as an employee, now contributing in a new capacity and with new tools. It is also where my perspective as an immigrant woman who witnessed the mental health toll the pandemic took on under-resourced communities feels most alive. That lived context informs how I show up at the table, ask questions and advocate for the communities whose voices are not always present in those rooms.

Like Kayise, I believe what we build for ourselves must find its way back to the communities that shaped us. I am proud to be both a student and a continuing servant of UCLA, and I hope this issue inspires you to reflect on your own story and the communities still waiting for what only you can offer.

With gratitude,

Vardui Grigoryan

MBA Candidate ’27
Associate Director, Communications
Alumni Diversity Programs and Initiatives

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