Created by popular demand for alumni and by alumni, the CGU Alumni Association is intended to be a unifying group, giving all 22,000 of us one powerful voice. Regardless of the school, department, or program in which you studied, CGUAA is meant to bring all alumni together for your benefit.
Our mission is to create a mutual and sustainable culture of pride, participation, and philanthropy—aligned with today’s CGU. Active participants will experience the benefits of this association in many ways, including:
- Creating and cultivating career-networking opportunities
- Making new friends with diverse careers and backgrounds.
- Enjoying events organized by the association as well as by our alma mater.
- Receiving wider recognition for our successes in our professions.
We would like to thank CGU President Len Jessup and the offices of Alumni Engagement and Advancement for their support as we launch this association.
We encourage and welcome you to engage in this new venture.
Multa lumina, lux una.
While various departments within the CGU have created alumni groups at various times in the school’s history, there has never been an all-encompassing alumni group, until now. The CGU Alumni Association was created voluntarily to represent the interests of all CGU alumni. The CGUAA, financially supported by the university, does not replace any group created to benefit alumni of a particular school or department within CGU, nor is it a separate legal entity or 501c3, as some alumni associations are. No financial dues are required for membership.
A person who is in one of the following categories and who remains in good standing:
(a) a degreed graduate
(b) an executive program attendee for at least one semester
(c) an exchange student for at least one semester at a CGU-endorsed program
(d) a student who completed at least one semester
(e) an honorary member, appointed from time to time
With one voice, the CGU Alumni Association brings together our Claremont Graduate University alumni in a “by alumni—for alumni” organization as we create a culture of pride, participation, and philanthropy that benefits individual members and aligns with today’s CGU.
The Claremont Graduate University Alumni Association bylaws are in the process of being developed. A “road map” has been devised and the salient features of this “road map” are:
- The Founding Board will transition to an Alumni Board by increasing elected (versus appointed) representation over next few years.
- The Founding Board will determine the process and guidelines for board membership and presidency as well as their roles and expectations.
- Operating procedures will include meeting guidelines, authorities, and budget process.
- The importance of generational representation of alumni on the board is recognized.
- Board-led initiatives from time to time that benefit alumni (connectivity; regional and on-campus events, etc.) are to be developed.
- All-alumni regional chapters will be developed (in addition to San Diego and Tokyo which are operating now).
- Alumni “Ambassadors” will be appointed, and guidelines developed for locations where there is lack of critical mass.
The Claremont Graduate University Alumni Association Founding Board was created to develop one association for all CGU alumni. In addition to its being a voice for the alumni of the program from which they graduated, the board is also working on various initiatives to bring all alumni together.
Alumni Board Members for Academic Year 2018-19:
- Mustafa Mirza (MA Government ’78, MBA ’80), Alumni Board President
- Jennifer Bergstrom (EMBA ’93), Alumni Communications and Alumni Giving
- Chelsea Boxwell (MFA ’17), MFA Alumni and Online Connectivity
- Mariel Frechette (MA Art Business ’14), Sotheby’s Institute of Art Alumni
- Bree Hemingway (MPH Community and Global Health ’11), Community & Global Health Alumni
- Steve Kim (EMBA ’12), Alumni Weekend & Claremont Area Alumni
- Maria Morales (MA Education ’01), Alumni Events
- Kern Oduro (MA Education ’00, PhD Education ’12), Teachers Education Alumni
- Steve Siegel (MBA ’99), Alumni Events and Alumni Weekend
- Sarah S. Orr (MBA ’93, PhD Education ’16), Alumni Association Structure
- Gloria Willingham-Touré (PhD Education ’96), Veteran Alumni
- Tomo Yagisawa (MBA ’04), International Alumni (Japan)
- Michael Spicer (MBA ’11), Alumni Association Structure, Alumni Giving
- Chris Munshaw (MBA ’12), Alumni Communications and Young Alumni
- Whitney Martinez (MBA ’18), Graduate Student Council
- Sydney Bertram (MA Applied Women’s Studies ’13), Online Connectivity
- Dwight Holmes (EMBA ’07), Alumni Association Structure
- Connect to the alumni community digitally by joining the Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
- Reach out to the alumni board member representing your school, department, or program.
- Contact the Claremont Graduate University Alumni Association board president Mustafa Mirza, board member Michael Spicer, or associate director of alumni engagement Rachel Jimenez, if you are interested in joining the board.
The Claremont Graduate University Alumni Association is financially supported solely by the university. Your donation to CGU is greatly appreciated.