May 7, 2025
Dear Cal alums, parents, and friends,
Elizabeth “Betsy” Keenan ’71 leaves no doubt about where her devotion lies. She attends nearly every Big Game, rolls up her sleeves for the alumni club in Washington, D.C., and is a champion for Cal in the Capital (CITC), a celebrated program that places students in meaningful summer internships throughout D.C.
While working for the U.S. Department of Justice, Betsy routinely recruited CITC interns to work in her office. She also made a gift that helps defray the steep costs of living and unpaid work that can stand in the way of enabling students to accept these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. When asked to explain the origin of her deep passion, Betsy simply said, “I love my school.”
Betsy is one of 14 individuals and groups receiving a Chancellor’s Award for Public Service next week. No matter where you look at UC Berkeley, you will find faculty, students, staff, and alums giving back — to the campus, to their communities, and to issues that affect the world. Rather than being treated as an extracurricular activity, public service is deeply woven into research, teaching, and learning. It’s part of Berkeley’s DNA.
There are forces at play challenging the people and causes that many care about, yet these award recipients show us how to fight for what you love. Among them are:
Elizabeth “Betsy” Keenan ’71 leaves no doubt about where her devotion lies. She attends nearly every Big Game, rolls up her sleeves for the alumni club in Washington, D.C., and is a champion for Cal in the Capital (CITC), a celebrated program that places students in meaningful summer internships throughout D.C.
While working for the U.S. Department of Justice, Betsy routinely recruited CITC interns to work in her office. She also made a gift that helps defray the steep costs of living and unpaid work that can stand in the way of enabling students to accept these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. When asked to explain the origin of her deep passion, Betsy simply said, “I love my school.”
Betsy is one of 14 individuals and groups receiving a Chancellor’s Award for Public Service next week. No matter where you look at UC Berkeley, you will find faculty, students, staff, and alums giving back — to the campus, to their communities, and to issues that affect the world. Rather than being treated as an extracurricular activity, public service is deeply woven into research, teaching, and learning. It’s part of Berkeley’s DNA.
There are forces at play challenging the people and causes that many care about, yet these award recipients show us how to fight for what you love. Among them are:
- Faculty member Travis Bristol, whose program connects undergraduates, many of whom are students of color, to teaching opportunities in Oakland public schools.
- Undergraduate Cruz Rodriguez, who has built a remarkable track record of service to Latino, immigrant, and low-income communities.
- Graduate student Daniel Muñoz, who is dedicated to breaking cycles of incarceration and educational inequity by mentoring incarcerated youth and helping to secure major funding for a prison-to-university pipeline program.
- Berkeley Engineers and Mentors, a student group that provides STEM education to K–8 students in underserved schools, as well as mini science kits to children who are hospitalized.
These award winners, like you, show the difference that one person or group can make. Thank you for your service to Berkeley, whether that’s through financial support, volunteering, or keeping up with this brief.
Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
Chancellor’s Choice
Events: Cal Performances — Subscriptions are on sale for Cal Performances’ 2025–26 season, but tickets are going fast for some events. Choose your own shows by number or by genre. Top sellers include Angélique Kidjo and Yo-Yo Ma, a North American premiere by the Paris Opera Ballet, and the 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company. Subscribe and save on the best seats.
Books: Summer reading list — Offered to new students, the Library’s 40th annual summer reading list welcomes all avid readers. This year’s selection, themed around “generosity,” includes a science-fiction story about a monk and a robot; a Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir about finding love and meaning at Cal; and historical fiction about two sisters who are estranged during World War II. Explore the list.
Books: Summer reading list — Offered to new students, the Library’s 40th annual summer reading list welcomes all avid readers. This year’s selection, themed around “generosity,” includes a science-fiction story about a monk and a robot; a Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir about finding love and meaning at Cal; and historical fiction about two sisters who are estranged during World War II. Explore the list.