The UCLA Luskin Office of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations launched Fall 2024 with a vibrant lineup of events designed to reconnect, inspire and engage its multilingual and mission-driven community.
The season kickoff began with the Luskin Aperitivo: Spanish Language Meetup at the iconic Angel City Brewery. This gathering was a perfect blend of casual conversation and cultural camaraderie, drawing Luskin alums and students across programs, many excited to practice their Spanish in a fun, relaxed setting.
Two Alumni Regional Receptions brought graduates of our Urban Planning, Social Welfare, Public Policy and Public Affairs program together to exchange stories and spark new collaborations. In October, we marked a milestone: UCLA Luskin’s first-ever alumni reception in San Diego, held at the scenic Stone Brewing Bistro and Gardens in Liberty Station. A month later, L.A.-area alumni and current students enjoyed a stunning cityscape backdrop at a rooftop reception at The Godfrey Hotel in Hollywood. At both receptions, faculty and staff were on hand to acknowledge alumni who give back in myriad ways — attending events, participating as panelists, hiring young graduates, facilitating career tours or beginning their philanthropic journey.
Also this fall, Alumni Engagement Week included a virtual Latinx Communities Panel featuring distinguished alums Alejandra Garcia MPP ’23, government affairs manager at Comcast; Diana Benitez MURP ’16, senior manager of advocacy and engagement at Canal Alliance; Antonio Sandoval Ayala MURP ’07, director of the Community Programs Office at UCLA; and Norma Garcia MSW ’13, LCSW and founder at Norma Garcia. The speakers shared their career journeys, challenges and insights into working within and advocating for Latinx communities.
The week continued with a virtual meet-and-greet with Rorie Overby MURP ’04, a founding member of Placebase, a Los Angeles-based location technology company acquired by Apple in 2009. Since the acquisition, Overby has managed product and engineering teams focused on building location-based services for the Apple ecosystem.
Capping off the week, alumna Nurit Katz MPP/MBA ’08, chief sustainability officer at UCLA, led a Sustainability Career Tour showcasing innovative career pathways in the environmental and sustainable development sectors. It was an eye-opening experience for UCLA Luskin students who heard how sustainability interlinks with social welfare, public policy and planning.
A number of alumni employers also came to support and hire UCLA talent at the Fall Career Fair, a testament to the robust network of opportunity available to our students.
Together, these events underscored the depth and diversity of the Luskin community and the shared goals that continue to unite us all.
