My journey at UCLA began with a family connection — my brother Scott, who attended four years before me. I recall visits to his dorm rooms and meeting the star football player Jerry Robinson, then going to see him play at the Coliseum (UCLA hadn’t moved to the Rose Bowl yet). My brother would drive me around Westwood, Beverly Hills and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and as a teenager, I was in awe of the glitz and glam, the fancy cars and the huge billboards! He had painted such a vivid picture of campus life and Los Angeles that I couldn’t help but envision myself going to UCLA.
The Freshman Summer Program provided a wonderful prelude to my UCLA experience. In the program, I forged strong connections despite a rather unexpected encounter with a driver who crashed into my car (while it was parked) only 10 minutes after my parents bid me farewell for six weeks. No sunset drives for me that summer. What really stood out, though, was that my peers in the program — and these were people I had just met — all rallied around me. Some of the people I got to know in FSP turned out to be my lifelong friends; it was the resilience and camaraderie of my fellow FSP participants that left an indelible mark on me.
Dykstra Hall was home during my freshman and sophomore years — a place where I shared dinner tables with athletic Bruin legends like Irv Eatman, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Flo-Jo and the top players on the UCLA basketball team, who included four star freshmen and a senior (Darren Daye, Rod Foster, Cliff Pruitt, Michael Holton and Mike Sanders). These top athletes were all my dorm buddies.
During that year’s NCAA basketball tournament, when those dorm buddies hit the winning shot in the semifinals, every dorm on campus just exploded. Off we stormed, screaming and running down the stairs — we all ran down to Westwood and started this big bonfire. There must have been thousands of kids there! And it just made me realize: I’m in college; I’ve arrived. That’s what it felt like. We didn’t end up winning the championship that year, but that night and that experience were unforgettable.
Westwood in the early eighties was a vibrant hub, buzzing with activity every Friday and Saturday night. Donna Summer, Prince, Chic and The Sugarhill Gang reigned, with Dillon’s Disco being a go-to spot. Movies played at 2:00 am, and (before the In-N-Out and Diddy Reese crazes) we had Fatburger, with a line of people snaking around the block. The arrival of the ’84 Olympics brought its own surge of energy, turning Westwood into a bustling haven.
Life in the dorms offered a unique blend of stress relief and shared moments, like the collective yelling out of dorm windows during midterms and finals. It was the kind of quirky tradition that made life at UCLA so special — and it was mostly a Rieber and Sproul thing: one person would yelp out, “Rieber!” (high pitched) and then someone from across the way would bellow back, “Sproul!” (low pitched). And it would be infectious to the point where you’d have hundreds of students going back and forth. It was just one of those funny things unique to dorm life at UCLA.
Although I was an economics major, my academic journey was enriched by many other courses in music, languages and the arts. Some of the more noted UCLA professors included Mazisi Kunene, teaching about Shaka the Great; Kenny Burrell’s history of jazz course, with guest appearances by luminaries like Miles Davis, also stands out as a highlight. The energy and passion of professors like Beverly Robinson in African American theater arts left an enduring impact, shaping my lifelong appreciation and connection to UCLA.
Bruin Walk and Kerckhoff Hall each hold a special place in my heart. They were gathering spots for students of color in the eighties. The Black Student Union, now known as the Afrikan Student Union, was housed in Kerckhoff, and during my time at UCLA I served as the BSU’s program coordinator. During my tenure, we organized and hosted the first statewide UC BSU Undergraduate Summit. Additionally, every Wednesday on the “Walk” near Kerckhoff, all of the Divine 9 organizations (Black Greek fraternities and sororities) at UCLA would socialize between noon and 2:00 pm. I served as president of the Gamma Xi Chapter for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (which is the oldest intercollegiate African American fraternity, founded in 1906). I was also recognized as Alpha’s Western Regional College Brother of the Year.
Serving as the vice chair of the Program Activities Board through USAC was both enlightening and satisfying, as I was able to help fund a diverse slate of programs both on and off campus. The Special Education Exposure Project, aimed at guiding future Bruins, was always a favorite program — and as a UCLA Black Alumni Association board member today, I am still committed to paying it forward and supporting scholarship, admissions and student life enhancing initiatives. I was also involved in initiatives that served the community through support, mentorship and leadership, including the Jefferson Tutorial Project and the Prison Coalition. During my commencement, I wore a special blue-and-gold shoulder fourragère, which is an acknowledgement of being a Chancellor’s Marshal — a distinction awarded to students who made significant contributions to UCLA and/or the surrounding Los Angeles community through a sustained record of outstanding service.
Being an involved student at UCLA was a transformative experience that opened my eyes to a vast array of dynamics, offering valuable lessons about life’s complexities — both the uplifting and the challenging. As I assumed various leadership roles on campus, I found myself not only navigating the intricacies of university life, but also becoming attuned to global issues that reverberated in our campus world and the surrounding communities.
The early eighties marked a period of heightened social awareness and activism, and UCLA was a crucible where these global issues found a resonant voice. The call to divest from banks investing in South Africa during the apartheid era was another impactful moment in my UCLA journey. The protest against apartheid prompted a collective push for UCLA to divest from institutions that supported the oppressive regime. This involved not only vocalizing our dissent but also taking concrete actions, such as resisting the installation of ATMs on campus affiliated with banks investing in South Africa.
These experiences taught me the profound power of protest at UCLA. It was more than just expressing discontent; it was a demonstration of the university community’s ability to effect change, challenge unjust systems and stand in solidarity with global struggles for justice. The lessons learned during those tumultuous times continue to resonate, highlighting the enduring importance of activism, advocacy and the pursuit of a more just and equitable world.
As I reflect on those years, I recognize that UCLA was not just a place of academic learning but a place where students could actively engage with the pressing issues of our time. It was an environment that fostered critical thinking, social consciousness and the belief that our collective actions could shape a better future.
After graduation, I moved back up to Northern California and married my high school sweetheart. I didn’t miss Los Angeles that much, but I absolutely missed UCLA. So I got involved as an alumnus with the UCLA Alumni Association, and I’ve been a committed volunteer for the last 30+ years, serving in some aspect on scholarships, admissions or at a board level with the Alumni Association. Currently, I am also serving on the board for the UCLA Black Alumni Association. In my heart, UCLA has been a part of me ever since the first day I set foot on campus, and I’m still committed to doing the work to help UCLA continue to be the top public university in the country.
Looking back at the legacies of leaders, professors, mentors, colleagues and friends that I have had the privilege of encountering at UCLA — including people such as Winston Doby, Joan Nelson, Viscount “Berky” Nelson, Halford Fairchild, Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, Julie Sina, David Morgan, George Brown, Patricia Nguyen, Dr. Denise Pacheco, Peter Taylor, Bobby Grace, Mandla Kayise, John Caldwell, Eric White, Makani Themba, King Bishop and countless others — I am overwhelmed with gratitude.
The wealth of knowledge, guidance and support I received from each of these remarkable individuals has been instrumental in shaping the person I am today. Their commitment to excellence, passion for education, and unwavering dedication to fostering an inclusive and vibrant community have left an indelible mark on my UCLA experience and, indeed, my life journey.
Reflecting on the tenures of Chancellors Charles Young, Albert Carnesale and Gene Block, I am struck by the remarkable progress and accomplishments that have shaped UCLA into the esteemed institution it is today. Their visionary leadership has not only elevated the university’s standing nationally, but has also propelled UCLA onto the global stage.
Chancellor Block, in particular, has left an indelible mark during his tenure, steering UCLA through a dynamic period of growth, innovation and societal impact. His commitment to academic excellence, diversity and inclusivity has been instrumental in shaping the university’s character and mission.
As we look to the future, it is my sincere hope that UCLA continues on this trajectory of greatness. I envision a leadership that not only sustains the legacy of its predecessors, but also pushes the boundaries of conventional wisdom. Our aim should be nothing short of making UCLA the preeminent university not only in the country, but on a global scale.
Crucial to this vision is the continued support for diverse groups and the active cultivation of diverse perspectives. Embracing a multiplicity of voices and experiences enriches the academic environment, fosters innovation and equips students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. I hope that UCLA remains at the forefront of championing inclusivity, equity and representation.
