2025 EVENTS

APRIL 12: ADMITTED STUDENT YIELD EVENT IN CHICAGO

Newly Admitted Cal students and their families have been invited to attend the annual Cal Admissions office Yield event, this year held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel West Loop, 25 S. Halsted St. Chicago.

Cal alums are invited to attend starting at 6 pm to share their student and professional experiences. The event will end at 8:30 pm.

Registration required: Email Leslie at Leslieannbehnke@gmail.com. (Include your name, email address and graduation year.)

MAY 10: CAL VOLUNTEERS AT
NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK

Join us for “Cal Volunteers at Northern Illinois Food Bank” on May 10th.  The NIFB Distribution Center services 13 Northern Illinois counties and assists thousands of food insecure individuals each and every day. 

Visit this JOIN LINK to register by April 25 for the Cal Alumni Club Chicago Event – 5/10/25 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM – Lake Forest.

*** The NIFB system will send an automatic confirmation email of their registration. First-time volunteers will be invited to complete a user profile and e-sign a standard safety waiver and media release.

Place: Northern Illinois Foodbank-North Suburban Center
13950 West Business Center Drive, Lake Forest, IL 60045

Time: Arrive 8:45am CDT; Volunteer Food Pack & Sort at 9:00-11:30m CDT

A no-host lunch for Cal alums directly after the volunteer session at Silo Restaurant in Lake Bluff at 625 Rockland Road. Wear your CACC alumni T-shirts or Cal Blue and Gold.  (We have some CACC T-shirts for sale.) On behalf of the Cal Alumni Club of Chicago thank you for donating your time and making a difference in the lives of so many.

SAVE THE DATE: SUMMER WELCOME PARTY JULY 27 IN LAKE BLUFF

All alums are invited to the Annual Summer Welcome Party for all Midwest Cal students and their families at Sunset Beach, Lake Bluff, Ill., on July 27, Noon-4 pm.

Cal alums will be needed to help with the party and mix and mingle with Cal students. Be ready to teach the Cal Fight song to incoming Cal students. This beach has been voted a hidden gym by several magazines, with beautiful views overlooking Lake Michigan.

Registration for this event is required. Please get your tickets here. We hope to see you there this July!

DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR HOSTED ON MARCH 19

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago hosted a successful downtown happy hour at Haymarket Pub & Brewery at 737 W Randolph St in the West Loop on March 19. Keep checking here for future social outings in the Chicagoland area.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SUPPORTED THROUGH
MARCH MADNESS

The women’s basketball team was supported by the CACC, hosting game watches throughout the winter and into March Madness at the Hurley Tap. The visit with members of the coaching staff in February was memorable for all.

Here is a picture of the final game watch that we had at the Hurley Tap for the team’s final game.

2025 CAL ALUMNI CLUB OF CHICAGO T-SHIRTS FOR SALE

Show your Cal spirit in Chicago by purchasing a Cal Alumni Club of Chicago t-shirt for $35 plus shipping. We’ve had alumni wear them at social events, volunteer activities, new admitted student receptions, and Golden Bear football games. Email calalumniassociationchicago@gmail.com for orders.

HOMECOMING DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR 2025

The Cal Alumni Association has shared details for the 2025 Homecoming Weekend. Lectures will allow us to hear from renowned faculty on groundbreaking research, while the Oski Wow Wow celebration on Memorial Glade and the Bear Affair Tailgate will let you celebrate with fellow alums. And the ACC home opener will be the game (this year’s Homecoming opponent is Duke).

Online registration opens in July at homecoming.berkeley.edu. We are encouraged to start making travel plans now.

BIG GIVE 2025 YIELDS $16 MILLION FOR UNIVERSITY

In late March the university completed Big Give 2025, in which alumni and other donors contributed $15,783,076. This annual fundraiser online (BigGive.berkeley.edu) supports research and scholarships across campus. 14,529 alumni and other donors gave online. Congrats to the Advancement department on another successful campaign.

LIGHT THE WAY CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS $7 BILLION

Thank you to everyone who donated to UC Berkeley’s Light the Way campaign! This multi-year effort, which had a goal of $6 billion, raised more than $7.37 billion – one of the largest of any public or private organization.

The advancement department shared with us that these generous gifts will help make the university a top public education and teaching institution. Everyone contributed to this important work demonstrated by 76% of the donations coming in at $1,000 or less. Here are just a few ways the donations will go to work: 

·       $390 million in graduate student support (fellowships, student aid and more)

·       $1.2 billion in academic investment

·       $28 million in COVID research

·       $719 million in undergraduate support (scholarships and programs)

·       $1.5 billion in capital projects and campus improvements

 For more on the campaign, check out the story here.

About

We are an officially chartered chapter of the California Alumni Association bringing together Cal alums form the greater Chicagoland area and surrounding Midwest states. 

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago organizes social activities, game watches and volunteer events for Alumni throughout the year. We also work with the University to coordinate and host a Summer Welcome Party for the new Midwest Cal students.

If you are interested in getting involved, sign-up for our events  and please email us at  calalumniassociationchicago<at>gmail.com.  Sign-up for our monthly newsletter below.