Fall Newsletter 2025

Fall 2025

Dear Alumni,

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to the relaunch of our alumni newsletter—a renewed effort to strengthen the bond that connects our more than 260,000 alumni across the globe.

After several years of a hiatus, this newsletter marks a new chapter in how we share stories of impact, highlight alumni achievements, and keep you informed about opportunities to engage with our vibrant community. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, your connection to Cal State LA continues to shape the University’s legacy of access, excellence, and transformation.

We invite you to stay connected, get involved, and help us celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our fellow Golden Eagles.

Together, we soar.

Dr. Darlene Finocchiaro ’83, ’90
President, Alumni Association

Introducing Golden Eagles Connect

Your Cal State LA network just got stronger.

The Alumni Association is excited to announce the official launch of Golden Eagles Connect, your new online hub where alumni, students, faculty, staff, and community partners come together to mentor, collaborate, and grow. As a Cal State LA alum, this platform is your gateway to:

Participate in mentorship by sharing your expertise or connecting with experienced alumni for career advice and guidance.
Expand your professional network through alumni-to-alumni connections.
Join cultural- and industry-based alumni networks that reflect your passions.
Discover exclusive events, job postings, and volunteer opportunities.
Share and support Golden Eagle-owned businesses.

Join today and stay connected to where your journey began. Click here to learn more and register.

Tanea Robinson, Ed.D. ’01

Tanea Robinson posing with a scholarship recipient

Dr. Tanea Robinson's service to the Alumni Association has made a lasting impact among both students and alumni. From 2023 to 2025, she served on the Alumni Board of Directors and, most recently, she chaired the Alumni Scholarship Committee, overseeing the selection process and awarding of $40,000 in scholarships to deserving students.

Dr. Robinson received her undergraduate degree in child development from Cal State LA in 2001. She is currently an instructor with the UCLA Extension Pathways Program, working with postsecondary students who identify as neurodiverse, and an adjunct faculty member at Santiago Canyon College. Click here to connect with Dr. Robinson.

Seeking volunteers:
Alumni Scholarship Committee

2025 2026 alumni scholarship recipients. a group of about 40 posing

Make an impact on the next generation of Golden Eagles.

For more than 30 years, the Alumni Scholarship Committee has transformed lives through the power of access, opportunity, and community. Alumni volunteers review scholarship applications and help select deserving recipients whose stories reflect resilience and determination.

Your involvement makes a difference. Click here to learn more and submit your volunteer application.

Join an Alumni Network

Photo collage of alumni at various network events

Reconnect with your Golden Eagle community by joining an Alumni Network. Led by alumni volunteers, these networks serve both alumni and students by fostering opportunities to connect, give back, and grow through professional development, community events, and meaningful collaboration.

With nine different networks, there's a place for you:

AAPI Alumni • Black Alumni • Business Alumni • Chicanx Latinx Alumni
Early Entrance Program Alumni • Education Alumni
ECST Alumni • Entertainment & Arts Alumni • Nursing Alumni

Click here to learn more and join an Alumni Network today.

Alumni Ambassadors for Recruitment Program

Woman laughing and talking to a group of people

Share your Golden Eagle story with high school and transfer students!

The Alumni Association and the Office of Admissions and Recruitment are seeking dedicated alumni to represent Cal State LA at recruitment-related events and activities in support of the University’s enrollment goals. Click here to learn more about the program.

Join CSU Voices

CSU Voices is a community-driven advocacy platform that brings together students, alumni, staff, faculty, and supporters to champion the future of the California State University system. Higher education is facing unprecedented challenges, from budget shortfalls to shifting federal policies.

Gain access to timely updates on policies that affect our students, alerts when your voice can help influence legislation, and stories that highlight CSU’s real-world impact in communities across California. Click here to learn more and join the CSU advocacy platform.

Activate or Update Your Free Alumni Membership

Group of people standing next to a banner that says Cal State L.A. Alumni Association

Membership is free of charge and provides you with access to unique privileges, benefits, and resources, and invitations to exclusive events. Click here to learn more and submit your application.

AMBA Insurance

AMBA connects members of the Alumni Association to competitively priced insurance plans, including dental, vision, and other protection services. From health coverage to financial wellness, AMBA offers options that can support you and your family.

Explore your options and discover how your alumni benefits can work for you. Click here to learn more about AMBA.

Share Your Story!

Have you published a book, earned an advanced degree, or celebrated a professional milestone? We’d love to hear from you!

Your story helps showcase the incredible impact of Cal State LA alumni across industries and around the globe. Click here to submit a class note for a chance to be featured in an upcoming alumni newsletter or publication.

Save the Date
Dec. 2 - Cal State LA Giving Tuesday

At Cal State LA, your support helps transform lives. As the nation’s leader in upward mobility, our University continues to open doors for students, many of whom are first-generation and rely on Cal State LA as a bridge to opportunity.

On Giving Tuesday, we invite you to join fellow Golden Eagles in supporting the Cal State LA Fund, which provides flexible resources to meet the evolving needs of our students and campus community. Every gift makes a difference, and every gift helps students succeed.

Additional details to come.

Honoring our Veterans

4 Veterans holding flags in front of a building on a sunny day.

The Cal State LA community came together on Nov. 10 to honor the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of those who have served in our nation’s armed forces at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony.

Student veterans were recognized for their service and commitment to leadership, which continues to inspire excellence throughout our University.

2025-2026 Alumni Scholarship Recognition Dinner

Guests seated and standing at the 2025 Alumni Scholarship Dinner

Friends, loved ones, and members of the Alumni Scholarship Committee and the Alumni Association Board of Directors gathered on Oct. 28 to celebrate the 2025–2026 Alumni Scholarship recipients and their achievements.

This year’s inspiring group of scholars stood out among more than 1,800 applicants who applied for an Alumni Scholarship. In total, 40 recipients were selected, each receiving a $1,000 award in recognition of their academic excellence, leadership, and service.

Nursing Alumni Network Brunch

People seated and standing outside under blue skies

The Nursing Alumni Network rekindled Golden Eagle pride at their Oct. 4 brunch, where alumni, students, faculty, and friends reconnected, welcomed new leadership, and strengthened ties within the Los Angeles nursing community.

Guests had the opportunity to tour the Yoshie and Yoshiharu Ohara Virtual and Augmented Reality Immersive Learning Center and the Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing Simulation Center, featuring high-fidelity manikins that simulate real-life care scenarios, ranging from birthing to vital signs monitoring.

This event marked a new chapter for the network, fostering opportunities for mentorship and collaboration.

CLUAN x Aída Cuevas

Group of people milling around in front of green hedges with a sign that says Cal State L.A.

The Chicanx Latinx University Alumni Network (CLUAN) welcomed the greater Cal State LA community to a special evening at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, featuring Aída Cuevas, the Queen of Ranchera Music.

Before the Sept. 28 show, 100 lucky alumni and their guests were treated to an exclusive pre-reception and explored The Luckman Gallery’s Layered Legacies exhibition, featuring works by iconic artists including Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Salvador Dalí, and more.