On May 13, Dean Judy Olian announced a transformative gift of $100 million dollars from Marion Anderson, chair of Topa Equities and widow of the school's namesake John E. Anderson, at the Into the Next: The Campaign for UCLA Anderson kickoff event. The gift officially launches UCLA Anderson's part of the $4.2 billion UCLA Centennial Campaign and is the largest donation in the business school's history. The cumulative gift of $142 million from John and Marion Anderson is also notably the fourth largest to any business school.

“This sets us on a path to realize our grandest ambitions, while remaining true to our values - and to the values of John and Marion - by reaching even further,” said Dean Olian. As a result of Anderson’s gift, the goal for the Into the Next campaign has been raised to $300 million. The donation will increase the school’s endowment by $60 million to support student financial aid and fellowships, faculty and research funding, and program innovations. The remaining $40 million will be used as seed funding for a new building to add classrooms and offices for student services, admissions, career development and alumni relations. “That is the ultimate measure of our lives. These buildings, computers, and endowments are meaningless if they don’t create opportunities for others,” Anderson said. “What we begin here tonight might someday spark an idea in the mind of a young man or woman who didn’t think UCLA was an option for them. But through your ideas and generosity, UCLA will not only be an option, but also become a part of that person’s life as they embark on their own journey." Read more...

» Watch Marion Anderson's conversation with Dean Judy Olian about the gift
» Launch UCLA Anderson Into the Next. Give today!

On June 12, UCLA Anderson Board of Visitors member and Chairman and CEO of Target Corporation Brian Cornell (BA '81, Exec Ed CERT '91) will be the commencement speaker for the MBA, Fully Employed MBA and Ph.D. Class of 2015. He will be addressing the Class of 2015 with a personal message borne of his transformational leadership journey. Prior to becoming the CEO of Target, Brian held CEO roles at PepsiCo Americas Foods, Sam's Club and Michael's Stores, Inc.

UCLA Anderson alumni, faculty and students came together on April 30 - May 4 for a weekend of insights, new connections and renewed friendships at Alumni Weekend 2015. The Executive Recruiter Networking Event kicked off the homecoming with an evening of career networking with recruiters and fellow alumni. Industry executives - many of them alumni - and faculty shared how they are helping organizations lead the way in fostering innovation, enabling change and making an impact at Alumni Conference. Current students from the Healthcare Business Association, Marketing Association, Net Impact and Strategic Operations Management Association student clubs were also invited to intimate lunches to connect with keynote Craig Kreeger '85 and alumni speakers from the global health panel. Alumni Reunions reunited 800 + alumni and their guests for a weekend of casual social activities and formal dinner celebrations in Santa Monica. Alumni Weekend wrapped up with the 9th annual UCLA Anderson Alumni Golf Tournament, which had its largest tournament field to date with 192 golfers, plus a long list of generous sponsors and auction donors - all helping to benefit student fellowships and alumni activities.

Missed out on all or parts of Alumni Weekend 2015? We have recaps of the weekend’s events festivities!

» Watch Alumni Conference presentations including Virgin Atlantic Airways CEO Craig Kreeger’s ’85 keynote and Professor Ed Leamer’s UCLA Anderson Forecast.

» Class of 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 & 2010: View Reunion Celebration photo galleries and contribute to your class gift.

» Class of 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 & 2011:
Mark your calendars! Your Reunion Celebration is Saturday, May 7, 2016.

Last Friday, UCLA Anderson alumni that work at Google gathered at lunch to welcome four visiting current MBA students. The student team of Olivia Nix '15, Richard Calkins '15, Lauren Edelstein '15 and Michael Bale '15 were invited to present their winning recommendation for a digital marketing campaign featuring M&M's. The students' visit included a tour of Google and YouTube, their presentation to Google and YouTube executives and the opportunity to connect with Board of Visitors member and accomplished alumna Susan Wojcicki '98, CEO of YouTube.

Last Thursday, Bay Area alumni also came out in inclement weather on Thursday, May 14 to support the alumni network, making new connections and expanding their knowledge. Alumni gathered at Cisco headquarters to get an update on UCLA Anderson from Professor Sanjay Sood and hear from Derek Idemoto '99, (VP of Corporate Development) and Tom Austin '93, (VP Governance, Riskand Controls) who provided an overview of Cisco and their roles. They also participated in a discussion on the tech industry with the audience. Derek spoke to Cisco’s approach to corporate development with a “Build, Buy, Partner, Integrate” approach toward innovation. He displayed Cisco's long history of acquisitions and investments with a visual that showcased some of the more than 180 acquisitions that make up their $2 billion portfolio. Tom talked about the importance of risk management, especially in today’s era of cyber security. He spoke to his team’s role in incorporating risk analysis into the strategic and audit planning process, and showed a few examples of ERM Dashboards, which allow Cisco to get a consolidated view of data that is relevant to their risk analysis.

» Get involved in the Bay Area chapter

Join the UCLA Anderson Forecast and panels of tech experts for the economic outlook on technology and the California economy. The UCLA Anderson Forecast team will start off the day with its presentation of the forecast for the nation, state and L.A. Then keynote speaker Scott McGregor, president and CEO of Broadcom, and panelists including the CEO and founder of Acorns.com Jeff Cruttenden and deputy under secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Dr. Robert Griffin, will discuss the impact that the disruption of the Information Age is having on California's economy. Use code AGSMAlum0615 at registration to receive a special alumni price of $95.