Mixing It Up, From Coast to Coast

In Oxy's 2019 alumni survey, a significant number of our 1,854 respondents expressed an interest in attending more regional events. Now that the end of the pandemic is in sight, your Alumni and Parent Engagement team—working in tandem with the Alumni Board of Governors—is looking for ways alumni and students across the country can connect, feed their curiosity, and support one another. 

The Tri-State group for alumni and parents in the New York City area has long been active, meeting more or less quarterly for about five years, with events that range from new student welcome receptions to Dodgers-Mets games to concerts, historical tours, and hikes. Steve Case ’80 has been leading the group and is advising other regions as a member of two BOG committees.

In addition to ongoing efforts in NYC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago, the Board of Governors has identified four U.S. regions where concentrations of alumni provide a solid base for activities, including networking and support for Oxy through admission and career events. In 2022-23, both Portland, Ore., and San Diego, each with about 4,000 alumni and students, have begun to organize.

Developing regional groups begins with an initial event and a survey to determine interest, including best locations and desired activities. The next regions slated for organizing in 2023-24 are Washington, D.C., and Seattle, with more to follow.

We kicked off this year's efforts with a number of Hometown Tiger Mixers for alumni and students on winter break from their studies. San Diego got a jump on the calendar on December 2 with an SDSU-Oxy men’s basketball contest attended by about 40 alumni hoops enthusiasts. A January 11 Tiger Mixer at Pueblo, organized by Bill Johnson ’75 and Ken Kalunian ’75, attracted 22 alumni.

Helen Shafran ’87 and Lisa Tegethoff ’99 brought together 30 alumni and three students to the Portland Tiger Mixer at Dame restaurant, which is owned by Jane Platt '06. In true Oxy fashion, both Helen and Lisa are former BOG members who offered to help get their region organized. In Seattle, Esther Teodoro ’95 hosted 32 alumni and eight students at Rachel’s Ginger Beer on January 12—while more than 2,700 miles away, Nathan Reynolds ’15 welcomed 25 alums and seven students at Pinstripes in Washington, D.C. 

On February 2, the BOG Careers and Mentorship Committee hosted a nonprofit mixer at Relentless Brewing and Spirits in Eagle Rock. We had a great turnout and heard from three wonderful alumni working in nonprofits: Rebecca Horta ’06, director of youth and family programs at LACMA; Jackie Provost ’02, chief operations officer at UCLA’s Saban Community Clinic; and Bettsy Santana ’01, quality improvement manager at L.A. Care Health Plan.

When Oxy administrators travel, opportunities arise: President Harry J. Elam, Jr. hosted 14 alumni for a dinner in Miami on January 28. Events also “pop up” thanks to enthusiastic alumni in places like Chicago, where 16 Tigers took to the lanes at a punch bowl social on December 11, 2022, organized by Desmend Jetton '13.

In the coming months, we have a robust calendar of regional events, including Let’s Rock Tigers on March 4 in Portland and Oxy in the Vineyards on March 11 in Napa Valley. You can find these and other regional events on the Alumni website. To get these invitations by email, be sure your address is current with the College by contacting us at alumni@oxy.edu.

Interested in starting your own regional group? Contact Kelsey Belli (belli@oxy.edu). We hope to see you at an event in 2023. Io Triumphe!

Mel Malmberg ’79
Engagement Programs Co-chair
Alumni Board of Governors

Top photo:  Good times were had at a Hometown Tiger Mixer in Washington, D.C., on January 12.