Plenty of good cheer emanated from Downtown Los Angeles as new UCLA Extension alumni members sipped and savored joining a network of more than 75,000 who have earned their certificates and their status as Bruin alumni.

Approximately 100 people attended the UCLA Extension Alumni Welcome Reception hosted at Audio Graph Beer Co. with catering from Heritage Kitchen L.A. Attendees enjoyed craft beer and fried chicken as they mixed and mingled.

“I am very excited to be here with you tonight,” said Nisha Chauhan-McGrath, director of UCLA Extension Alumni Relations. “I am also a very proud Bruin, so it gives me joy to be able to connect with all of you.”

The UCLA Extension alumni network is still relatively new, but expanding rapidly. It was founded in 2023. Chauhan-McGrath marveled at the turnout and the variety of professionals represented.

“What does it mean to be a Bruin?” she asked the crowd. “For me, the Bruin spirit encapsulates people who are really dedicated. They ask how they can help and how they can make the world a better place. I think there is this big through line for people who want to help: I want to help make a better life for me and my family. I want to help my neighborhood. I want to help my community. I want to help other people who have had experiences like me find success in their professional and personal lives. For me, that is what the Bruin spirit really represents.”

Attendees were encouraged to network with their fellow graduates who hold certificates in everything from music business to accounting and beyond. And aside from receiving UCLA Extension Alumni benefits, graduates are also brought into the greater UCLA Alumni Association fold.

“You join the 670,000 Bruins universe-wide and we are so happy to have you,” said Jenn Wells, chief of staff, UCLA Alumni Association Alumni Engagement. “As certificate holders you have access to all the wonderful things that we offer in the association.”

Those benefits include career and leadership development programming, both in-person and virtual, and the UCLA ONE online networking community. New alumni members also gain access to other UCLA alumni networks that can center on profession, personal identity and region, among other topics.

“We are so interested in your stories – what brought you to Extension, what you’re doing now, and what you want to do in the next five years – and how we can continue to build a program that supports you, reflects you, is something that is dynamic, and most importantly, is very fun,” Chauhan-McGrath said. “We are so proud to have you as part of our alumni community. It’s been a true joy so far and I can’t wait to see where you go next.”

For more information, visit the UCLA Extension Alumni webpage or contact Chauhan-McGrath at nchauhanmcgrath@unex.ucla.edu.