May 21, 2025
Dear Cal alums, parents, and friends,
Siblings Ryan and Melissa Mattson spent their 20s and 30s raising children, tending to an ill father, and working to make ends meet. They were convinced that higher education wasn’t for them. Especially not at UC Berkeley.
When Ryan was recovering from an injury, he started taking online classes at Sacramento City College. Then Melissa enrolled there. Boosted by straight As, they applied to Berkeley as transfer students and got in. In an article chronicling their journey, Melissa said she appreciates that the community believes in second acts. “Berkeley didn’t just equip me with a degree; it gave me a voice,” she said. “I leave with gratitude for a university that embraces learners at every stage of life.”
The Mattson siblings, who studied history, have now joined the Cal family as alums. So did nearly 7,000 graduates who filled California Memorial Stadium, along with 23,000 of their loved ones, for the campuswide commencement last Saturday. Many speakers noted one of the class’s most thrilling experiences — witnessing four consecutive Big Game victories over Stanford! They also spoke about building community and being open to other voices and opinions.
Daniel Lubetzky, the keynote speaker, is best known for founding KIND Snacks and working across divides. He explored the “four superpowers of youth” — grit, fearlessness, creativity, and love — and said that in today’s world, the “power of love is being tested.” After telling graduates they would receive two KIND bars each, he encouraged them to give one to someone who helped them get to that moment, and the other to someone who had caused them harm, or who differed from them, to “rebuild a bridge.”
Asher Cohen, who excelled in math and research and was a devoted math tutor, received the University Medal, the highest honor for a graduating senior. He talked about the joy and anxiety that come with exploring new worlds, and encouraged his fellow graduates to look for the latter’s silver lining. “Why don’t we celebrate the fact that we’re nervous?” he asked. “Nervousness shows that we care, that we want to succeed, that we know how to be vulnerable, that we’re human.”
Enjoy this highlight reel, and join me in congratulating the Class of 2025 for — inspired by Asher’s words — the humans they are, and the humans they have the potential to become.
Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
Siblings Ryan and Melissa Mattson spent their 20s and 30s raising children, tending to an ill father, and working to make ends meet. They were convinced that higher education wasn’t for them. Especially not at UC Berkeley.
When Ryan was recovering from an injury, he started taking online classes at Sacramento City College. Then Melissa enrolled there. Boosted by straight As, they applied to Berkeley as transfer students and got in. In an article chronicling their journey, Melissa said she appreciates that the community believes in second acts. “Berkeley didn’t just equip me with a degree; it gave me a voice,” she said. “I leave with gratitude for a university that embraces learners at every stage of life.”
The Mattson siblings, who studied history, have now joined the Cal family as alums. So did nearly 7,000 graduates who filled California Memorial Stadium, along with 23,000 of their loved ones, for the campuswide commencement last Saturday. Many speakers noted one of the class’s most thrilling experiences — witnessing four consecutive Big Game victories over Stanford! They also spoke about building community and being open to other voices and opinions.
Daniel Lubetzky, the keynote speaker, is best known for founding KIND Snacks and working across divides. He explored the “four superpowers of youth” — grit, fearlessness, creativity, and love — and said that in today’s world, the “power of love is being tested.” After telling graduates they would receive two KIND bars each, he encouraged them to give one to someone who helped them get to that moment, and the other to someone who had caused them harm, or who differed from them, to “rebuild a bridge.”
Asher Cohen, who excelled in math and research and was a devoted math tutor, received the University Medal, the highest honor for a graduating senior. He talked about the joy and anxiety that come with exploring new worlds, and encouraged his fellow graduates to look for the latter’s silver lining. “Why don’t we celebrate the fact that we’re nervous?” he asked. “Nervousness shows that we care, that we want to succeed, that we know how to be vulnerable, that we’re human.”
Enjoy this highlight reel, and join me in congratulating the Class of 2025 for — inspired by Asher’s words — the humans they are, and the humans they have the potential to become.
Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
Chancellor’s Choice
Event: Public higher ed at the crossroads — After decades of strong governmental and public support, American public higher education is confronting a multi-layered crisis of confidence and funding. How will UC Berkeley respond? Chancellor Rich Lyons will discuss a new vision for Berkeley that centers innovation and entrepreneurship; new programs to bridge divides; and new and novel revenue streams. Wednesday, May 28, 6 p.m. PDT, Commonwealth Club World Affairs in San Francisco. In-person and online-only tickets available.
Video: The heartbeat of BAMPFA — Students are an integral part of the staff at BAMPFA — welcoming visitors and helping them navigate the galleries. They also push the museum to reflect on what it’s presenting and the role it can play in their lives, learning, and society at large. In this video, four students talk about their involvement in the museum and how it is informing their studies, research, art-making, and view of the world.
Video: The heartbeat of BAMPFA — Students are an integral part of the staff at BAMPFA — welcoming visitors and helping them navigate the galleries. They also push the museum to reflect on what it’s presenting and the role it can play in their lives, learning, and society at large. In this video, four students talk about their involvement in the museum and how it is informing their studies, research, art-making, and view of the world.