LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI PRESIDENT
Alumni board president Jeff Belk ’ 83 , his wife Kim and their daughter Gillian Belk ’ 17 , MS ’ 18 , a graduate of the last decade .
GOLD STANDARD
I may not be a Graduate Of the Last Decade ( or GOLD as we say ), but I know GOLD : my wife and I are proud parents of a UC San Diego alumna who graduated just last year . Her first few months out of college are a window into what faces all recent graduates — the uncertainties and opportunities , the dreams and ambitions , the setbacks and successes — all things that can be better navigated with a strong alumni network .
Our UC San Diego Alumni team is actively interested in the lives of our GOLD alumni , and we have learned a few things about these most recent Tritons who make up nearly 40 percent of our alumni base — more than 75,000 strong :
They have jobs — but not the jobs they ’ ll keep . This is the single most important aspect in which the university , and we as alumni , can impact the lives of graduates just starting out . Tritons are smart , hardworking and ready to get ahead in life . We can all benefit from engaging with the degree of talent we all share .
“ We are actively interested in the lives of our GOLD alumni , and have learned a few things about these most recent Tritons ...”
They connect differently . Everyone finds their niche in college — a club , a community , a team . But the opportunities available to connect and stay connected after graduation have grown in amazing ways . Connect with UC San Diego Alumni over Instagram , Twitter and Facebook , and we ’ ll be sure to keep you interested and engaged .
They love UC San Diego — if you ask . They love their time spent here , the caliber of the education , the friends made and of course , the weather and scenery ( something we can all agree on !) But we can turn up the volume on our pride : wear it proudly and remind ourselves and each other of our beginnings here , no matter how far we ’ ve gone since .
So many alumni are just starting out , and we want to identify the needs of this growing population . We need to learn more about GOLD and all our alumni — so please update your information , tell us what ’ s going on with you and let us know what you think . We ’ re here for you : alumni . ucsd . edu
With Triton pride ,
Jeff Belk ’ 83 President , UC San Diego Alumni
56 TRITON | WINTER 2019