Tag Archives: profile

Vito Costanzo will take home the Advocate of the Year Award at UCLA Day in Downtown.

Vito Costanzo ’94 isn’t really into the whole politics thing.

Yet this Thursday, Oct. 8, he will receive the UCLA Advocate of the Year award for his work lobbying local, state and federal officials on behalf of the university that has been intertwined with his family for years.

“You are explaining common sense principles,” he said. “This is not some sort of special interest group taking money away from another special interest group. This is a university working for the common good. Anyone can explain that to a legislator.

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Howard Welinsky shows off some Bruin hardware with memories of a successful career in the movies adorning the background.

When Howard Welinsky ’72, talks, elected officials listen. And if you aren’t hearing from Welinsky at all, well, chances are you already know why you are in the doghouse.

Welinsky has been directly involved with UCLA advocacy since the 1980s.

“At some point I kind of realized that the two issues I cared about were higher education and Israel,” he said. “Over time I learned how to develop political relationships, take advantage of opportunities that existed. Over time, you kind of develop a reputation.”

A political science major while at UCLA, Welinsky said he has always been politically active — literally walking precincts with his mother when he was seven or eight years old, running city council campaigns in Culver City, and becoming involved with the Democratic party and the Jewish Federation.

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Los Angeles Fifth District City Councilman Paul Koretz ’79, has felt a call to public service for just about all of his life, and to think others wouldn’t feel the same is rather “mystifying” to him.

The councilman has worn many political hats during his time in the public spotlight — including West Hollywood mayor, state assembly member and his current position as the de facto city steward for Westwood. And during that time, Koretz has never kept UCLA too far from his heart over the years.

“It is a mystery to me that it is even a fight to maintain a better education system for California,” he said.

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