When he entered business school at UCLA Anderson in 2000, Luis Serrano, a native of Spain, planned to resume his career in Europe after graduation. That changed his very first day of class—when he sat next to his new American classmate May Hasso. Luis and May married in 2003, had three children and co-built a thriving business Sunshine Retirement Living, a boutique management company for senior housing communities. Sadly, May Hasso Serrano was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer and passed away in May 2015.

“We made amazing connections here that will last a lifetime,” said Luis. Acknowledging the significance of UCLA Anderson in their personal and professional lives, Luis, along with his family, has made the decision to make a $1 million gift in honor of his late wife with the May Hasso Serrano Classroom. Inspired from Marion Anderson’s example to support efforts that “make sure future generations have an even better experience than you had,” Luis chose the active learning space, located in the forthcoming, state-of-the-art Marion Anderson Hall to reflect May’s sociability and love of learning and collaboration. Read more.

Governments across the world are increasing the use of behavioral insights to drive better behavior in sectors including education, public health and finance. Specifically, a nudge, which is essentially a warning or reminder, is a tool that public and private organizations are showing keen interest in. According to an August 11 post in The Washington Post, co-authored by UCLA Anderson’s Professor of Behavioral Decision Making Shlomo Benartzi, the results of an empirical test comparing the cost effectiveness of a wide range of policy tools indicate that “nudges have a bigger impact, per dollar spent than more traditional approaches, such as subsidies, taxes and education.” For example, a nudge that involved sending households a letter comparing their energy consumption to that of their neighbors was proved to be eight times more cost effective when judged against more traditional tools such as offering a rebate. Learn more about how nudges can be more effective in promoting vaccinations, college enrollment and retirement savings.

With a vast and diverse network of accomplished alumni in 75+ countries, the UCLA Anderson Alumni Network has an alumni chapter or group to connect with wherever you are. Featured this month is our affinity group Anderson Women whose mission is to engage, inspire, and prepare Anderson alumnae through opportunities focused on professional advancement, intellectual enrichment, and personal fulfillment.

At last month’s San Francisco Wine for 12 Women event hosted by Annette Blum ‘10 and Courtney Mayeda ’12, 12 women came together in an intimate setting to discuss an issue close to our hearts—gender discrimination. The group which, included current students and alumnae from across degree programs, industries, and a 21-year class span, opened up about their personal experiences, frustration and questions about dealing with workplace discrimination and harassment. Despite the weight of the topic, the night was filled with connection, humor, and support. Each woman iterated on how to improve the situation and ended the evening by sharing a personal commitment to herself—designed to empower against fear and inspire to greatness. 

What are some examples of programming Anderson Women offers?
Events range from professional development workshops like Rock Your LinkedIn Profile to lifelong learning events like the annual Anderson Women’s Leadership Summit – Velocity. There are also volunteer activities and intimate conversations about issues and topics important to alumnae.

In what cities is Anderson Women currently active in?
Anderson Women is currently active in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle with a new group emerging in New York City.

How do I learn more about Anderson Women and get connected?
Visit the Anderson Women group page to connect and meet Anderson Women leadership including new President Mia Tepper (B.A.’90, MBA ’11).

Are there any events coming up that I should know about?
Yes! Join Anderson Women at the upcoming events:   

Seattle | September 24 | Anderson Women Alumni Volunteer Morning
Los Angeles | October (date TBA) | Worldwide Welcome Weeks event at Hotel Café
Los Angeles | February 9 | Women’s Leadership Summit – Velocity

» Subscribe to the women.alumni email list to receive notifications of news and events.

Worldwide Welcome Weeks (WWW), our annual alumni event series, are upon us once again! Join fellow alumni to welcome the Class of 2017 to the UCLA Anderson Alumni Network around the world in September and October.

Dean Judy D. Olian will first make her first stop, as part of a multi-leg trip in Asia, at an event in Beijing on September 10 to share an update on the school. Our Worldwide Welcome Weeks events in Europe will kick off in London on September 19 with a real-time lecture and interactive Q&A with Professor Francis Longstaff—live streamed from Los Angeles! U.S. Worldwide Welcome Weeks events will be announced next week. 

9/10 | Beijing, China | Beijing Alumni Dinner with Dean Judy Olian
9/11 | Shanghai, China | Shanghai Welcomes Dean Judy Olian
9/13 | Bangkok, Thailand | Bangkok Welcomes Dean Judy Olian
9/14 | Marina Bay, Singapore | Singapore Welcomes Dean Judy Olian
9/17 | Manila, Philippines | Manila Alumni Dinner with Dean Judy Olian
9/19 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Jakarta Alumni Dinner with Dean Judy Olian
9/19 | London, UK | Black Holes in Financial Markets with Francis Longstaff
9/20 | Madrid, Spain | Time: How Having It and Spending It Drives Happiness with Cassie Holmes
9/26 | Zurich, Switzerland | Optimal Consumption of Special Occasions with Suzanne Shu

Following a trip in December with a group of classmates to Myanmar to assess the economic state of the former hermit kingdom, Michael Eister ‘17 accepted an offer to join a Myanmar based company as an investment analyst upon graduation. Many of the skills and knowledge that Eister acquired during business school have already been recognized and leveraged by the company's CEO.  However, the MBA mindset of disruption and growth, has been challenging to employ in a country looking towards the future but governed by rules and policies from the past. “As it crawls into the 21st century, Myanmar is a contradiction at every turn. On one hand, they want to be successful and wealthy. On the other hand, they are ever-focused on a balance that has its roots in Buddhist thought,” said Eister. An additional obstacle comes from an ever-changing policy and regulatory structure that makes policies accessible only through hard copies at government offices. Read more about Michael’s account of his first impressions.