New UCLA Students Ready To Make Volunteer Day Memories

UCLA students volunteering at a veteran’s home and sanding furniture for Volunteer Day 2014. (Christelle Snow/UCLA)

When thousands of incoming freshmen and transfer students blanket Los Angeles County for UCLA’s annual Volunteer Day this Saturday, organizers strive to create a meaningful day everyone will remember.

“We want to leave a lasting impression,” said Walen Ngo, program manager at UCLA Extension’s business, management and legal programs department. Ngo will lead a group of those young volunteers to serve at the Veterans Home of West Los Angeles, an experience he hopes and believes they will cherish well beyond Saturday.

“It’s really worthwhile to open the eyes of the volunteers to this home and these people who have given so much to our country,” Ngo said. “The little we can do on Volunteer Day will hopefully inspire them to continue to give back.”

 

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MYTHBUSTERS: Public Funding

mythbusters

The state budget continues to be a point of debate among California legislators and the UCLA community at large. Learn the facts about how much money the state contributes to the UCLA budget and which items and services that money specifically pays for.

MYTH: Because the state budget allocation is such a small part of UCLA’s total budget, the university can do without California’s support.

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UCLA Advocate In Action: Howard Welinsky Shows Pride Through Politics

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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UCLA, MLK Hospital Collaboration Brings Care to South LA

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block was among the dignitaries who attended the opening of Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital.

In a collaboration that exemplifies UCLA’s commitment to working outside of its Westwood boundaries, officials gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, and the beginning of a new partnership.

The dedication ceremony took place on Aug. 7 at the new hospital, located at 1680 E. 120th St., which was built through a public-private partnership. Los Angeles County contributed $284 million for its construction and $171 million in start-up funding, but the hospital will be run by the nonprofit Martin Luther King, Jr. Los Angeles Healthcare Corporation, with its own independent board of directors.

 

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Screening, panel illuminate the life of former mayor, UCLA alumnus Tom Bradley

A panel discusses Tom Bradley after a screening of a new documentary about the former Los Angeles mayor.

UCLA co-sponsored a special film screening and panel for the PBS documentary “Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and the Politics of Race”. Bradley was an alumnus of UCLA, the only African American mayor of Los Angeles, and the longest serving mayor of the city.

The screening and panel took place on Aug. 10 at the Luckman Theatre at California State University, Los Angeles.

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