As I write this note, many of us have lives, economies, and communities still walloped by the force and spread of COVID-19. While so much of how we live, learn, work, and play has been upended—or worse, obliterated—UC San Diego alumni have responded with characteristic innovation, cooperation, and generosity. Thousands lead on the front lines in medical and technical fields, while others have devised safety procedures for cities and communities around the world. On campus, students volunteered and participated in testing protocols for the university’s Return to Learn program. Faculty and staff organized webinars addressing how we confront economic and racial inequities—longstanding crises compounding the impact of coronavirus. And many of you helped raise nearly 1 million dollars for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, a critical resource to support our campus communities, most especially students. The university and our Alumni Board thank you for your participation.
As we work to end this pandemic, UC San Diego has significant achievements to recognize as well. This fall, the university welcomes its largest and most diverse first-year class ever. Even though gameplay is postponed, our athletics programs are now officially in the Big West Conference and Division I competition. Coming up on October 19–25, we will join together virtually to show our spirit—and lift our spirits—with Homecoming @Home. You can find the full roster of online events on the next page. And make sure you visit homecoming.ucsd.edu to view virtual yearbooks and contribute your own photos and memories.
Lastly, on a personal note, over the past several years I have had the honor to serve as a mentor to current UC San Diego students. I now find that these regular chats with young Tritons have become much more meaningful in these months of distance, providing a balm during a time of such upheaval. I’m confident you will feel the same—please consider signing up on Tritons Connect to mentor a student or another alumnus. And if you need a mentor, you can find one the same way—tritonsconnect.com
We are all in this together, so please join us to connect, celebrate, support, and learn.
With Triton pride,
Kimberley Phillips Boehm, Warren ’82, PhD
President, UC San Diego Alumni Board of Directors