2024

Alumni club members from Detroit and Chicago on August 24.

Alumni from the Chicago and Detroit chapters met in Detroit on August 24 in an excellent event hosted by the Cal Alumni Club of Southeast Michigan. Michigan Central Station was built in 1913 and then renovations were started in 2018 by Ford Motor Company as part of its planned redevelopment into a mixed use facility as a cornerstone of the company's new Corktown campus. Board members from the Chicago chapter joined Detroit alumni for a private tour of the Beaux-Arts masterpiece.

Cal alums from the Midwest continue to help conduct student finalist interviews for The Leadership Award, a scholarship awarded to incoming students who demonstrate innovative and impactful leadership in their communities. This year the Midwest alums interviewed students during late July, providing a rewarding and easy way to get involved and meet a few of the amazing incoming Bears. Watch our site next year for more ways to be involved.

On May 31, alumni from Chicagoland gathered for a UC happy hour. Alums from UC Irvine, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley got together at Beermiscuous.

Cal game watches each Saturday in Chicago, fall 2024.

Each weekend this fall, Cal alums gathered in Chicago for game watches of Golden Bear football. With new opponents in the ACC, Cal football is getting used to a new group of matchups, but it’s a great way to meet fellow alumni in the Midwest.

On August 4, Cal alumni met up at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Together they watched the Cubs take on the Cardinals. For several years in a row we have taken in a Chicago baseball game together, whether Sox or Cubs depending on timing and “Cal connections” with the opponent, etc.

An enthusiastic crowd of 65 students, alumni and family members gathered at Sunrise Beach in Lake Bluff, Ill., on July 14, 2024 for the 2024 Summer Welcome Party.

Cal alums spent the morning of May 18 at the Food Bank packing and sorting 8,852 pounds of food which will provide 7,500 meals. Thank you to our Cal volunteers who really helped make a difference in easing food insecurity in northern Illinois.

On April 20, Berkeley alums from all over the Midwest met with incoming students who have been admitted for the incoming class of freshmen at UCLA. Students took part in a two-hour program led by the Admissions department and met with regional alumni, after which alums gathered for a dinner nearby afterwards.

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago kicked off 2024 in fine fashion with Cal men’s basketball game watch parties (appetizers courtesy of CAA on Feb. 3 vs. ASU and Feb. 10 vs. UCLA). The game watches took place as always at Flagship Tavern & Grill, 1622 W. Belmont Ave in Chicago. This winter we cheered on Chicago native Cal sophomore Grant Newell and the entire Cal men’s basketball team under new head coach Mark Madsen, who have shown significant progress in his first year. Game watches will resume in the fall with football (schedule posted on our home page).

2023

CHICAGO CHAPTER MEMBERS TRAVEL TO INDEPENDENCE BOWL

Cal alumni from our chapter traveled to Shreveport, La., to take in the Independence Bowl. 2023 was the first season since 2019 where the Bears were bowl-eligible. Though the football result was a loss to Texas Tech, the Bears wrapped up the regular season with a three-game winning streak.

Roadtrip to Indiana for Cal Men’s Basketball

On December 9th Cal Chicago alums traveled to Indianapolis to cheer on Cal Men’s Basketball vs. Butler University. The game was held at Hinkle Fieldhouse, famous for the final scenes of the movie “Hoosiers.’ Cal played a hard fought game with double OT’s. We connected with the Cal players and parents and were especially excited to meet the Chicago parents of Cal basketball sophomore, Grant Newell.

Cal Football Game Watches 2023

Cal Alumni Club of Chicago hosted a game watch for each of the 2023 football games, at Flagship Tavern & Grill. As always, the climactic game of the season was Stanford, a 27-15 win.

More game watches to come in 2024 for basketball and football.

**Cal alums at Sox Park, August 27, 2023**

White Sox Outing on August 27

This summer, Cal alumni of Chicago met at Sox Park to cheer on the White Sox (or Oakland A’s) and White Sox Cal alum Andrew Vaughn. Watch for more events like this in the future at www.CAAChicago.org.

CHICAGO ALUMS RETURN TO CAMPUS FOR HOMECOMING ‘23

Cal Alumni Club of Chicago members participated in the 2023 Homecoming festivities at Berkeley. Just some of the events featured at this year's reunion for alumni: panel discussions on democracy, Robert Oppenheimer's legacy at Berkeley, and disability rights; lectures by Chancellor Christ; tailgates in numerous spots all over campus; a homecoming parade, and a football game vs. Oregon State.

Chicago chapter members frequently return to the Cal campus for continuing education offerings, guest presentations to various schools or departments, and of course sporting events. For more information about Homecoming or to get a full sense of the events onhand for this annual event onc campus, you can visit: https://homecoming.berkeley.edu/ Pictured below are club president Leslie Behnke Hall and treasurer Bill Hall during some of the activities on campus in October.

Summer Welcome Party at Lake Bluff

The Chicago Summer Welcome Party on July 16 was a resounding success with attendance of over 50 incoming students, Cal alumni and friends from the Midwest including Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The outstanding weather and location right on Lake Michigan at Sunrise Beach, in Lake Bluff, Ill., enabled students to network and discover common majors, interests, and dorms. The students all were very excited to meet one another and formed great connections. The parents also had a great time networking and exchanging contact info.

Each student received a Blue and Gold gift bag and together with the Cal alums we all sang several rousing choruses of ‘Sons of California.’ Thanks to all the future Golden Bears and alumni who lent their Cal spirit to this successful event.

Cal Chicago alums volunteer at Northern Illinois Food Bank

Cal Chicago Alums held a volunteer event to sort and pack food destined to meet food insecurity needs across 13 Northern Illinois counties. Cal volunteers spent the morning packing 5,100 pounds of food which will provide 4,250 meals. Great cause, great Cal Bears spirit! Please join us at future Cal Alumni volunteer events!

New Student Reception

The UC Berkeley Office of Undergraduate Admissions held their annual New Student Reception series around the country for newly admitted students to learn more about Cal. On April 6, alumni from the region attended at the Crowne Plaza downtown and chatted with these students and their families to provide insights about life at Cal.

2022

Cal alumni gathered throughout the fall of 2022 for Golden Bear game watches, including a trip for many of us to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame game in September.

2020

2019

Dream Bigger Volunteer Event

Saturday, April 13th | 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM | Evergreen Park Fitness Club

In the Paint was founded in 2006 with the goal of providing structured youth sports activities where young people may learn, grow, and develop athletically and socially. Cal alumni spent a morning at the Evergreen Park Fitness Club playing basketball with the children and encouraged them to Dream Bigger and consider applying to UC Berkeley.

Spring Social

Thursday, May 16th | 6:00 to 9:00 PM | Benchmark (1510 N Wells Street, Chicago)

The Cal Alumni of Chicago held an evening of networking this past May at Benchmark. Beer, wine, and hors d' oeuvres were provided in celebration of the warmer weather and the chance to meet fellow Golden Bears!

Monthly Happy Hour - July

Thursday, July 11th | 6:00 to 8:00 PM | Redmond’s Ale House (3358 N Sheffield Ave)

The Cal Alumni of Chicago held its monthly happy hour at Redmond’s Ale House. It was a great evening of fun conversation and trivia!

Summer Welcome Party

Sunday, July 21st | 1:00 to 5:00 PM | Sunrise Beach (Lake Bluff, IL)

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago held a summer picnic event to welcome incoming freshmen of the Class of 2023 to the Cal family. The afternoon featured snacks and games galore along with a few rounds of the Cal fight song!