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Photo by Rob Schmitt

Alumna Cheryl Quintana Leader talks with Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas.

Taking UCLA's message downtown

BY PHIL HAMPTON
UCLA Today

Approximately 100 alumni, faculty, staff and students fanned out over downtown Los Angeles Oct. 26 to brief elected officials and their staffs on various programs run or supported by UCLA to assist their constituents.

Teams of volunteer delegates took to the halls of government to make city councilmembers, county supervisors and key staff members more aware of the university’s deep involvement in community-service programs in their districts.

The third annual UCLA Day With Local Government was organized by Government and Community Relations to bolster university relationships with local government leaders. It was part of a broader effort by External Affairs to involve a larger number of alumni, legislators and other supporters in strengthening UCLA’s ties to business and government leaders in downtown Los Angeles.

“It’s critical that UCLA have a strong presence among the government and business leaders concentrated in downtown Los Angeles,” Chancellor Albert Carnesale said. “I encourage our alumni and other supporters to become involved as we continue to strengthen the Bruin community downtown.”

To give elected officials a sense of how widespread and deep UCLA’s involvement is in Los Angeles, they received a regional map densely plotted with all the partnerships UCLA has formed with community organizations. These total 42 health service programs, 230 local performing and visual arts programs, 96 community-based cultural programs and arts organizations, 140 local and regional organizations, 684 community educational ventures and 79 collaborations between faculty and community organizations.

An evening reception at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion capped the Oct. 26 event. On hand were Chancellor Carnesale, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, several other elected officials, alumni and other UCLA supporters.

“This is the third time UCLA has visited our local elected officials with the simple message that ‘UCLA is in your district,’ ” said Diana Bruegemann, executive director for Local and Community Relations. “Local officials are now much more aware that we are in every corner of Los Angeles, and we are committed to continuing that presence.”

The chancellor presented former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski with the UCLA Local Legislator of the Year Award for her 30 years of service to the city. She served two four-year terms before being termed out earlier this year.