2025 EVENTS

CAL VS. TEXAS SOUTHERN FOOTBALL WATCH PARTY

Saturday, Sept 6th, 5 pm CT
Hurley Tap
1645 Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
[view interactive map here]

Cal fans, join fellow Cal alums, fans and friends to cheer on the Golden Bears in the season opener! 

Appetizers: Provided by Cal Alumni Club Chicago. 

Excitement: Provided by the new-look Bears.

Beer: Every Bear for themselves.

Go Bears!

ALUMNI HOST SUMMER WELCOME PARTY
IN LAKE BLUFF

On July 27, alumni hosted the Annual Summer Welcome Party for all Midwest Cal students and their families at Sunrise Beach, Lake Bluff, Ill. Cal alums helped teach new students the Cal Fight song and current students came back to share some insider tips about life at Berkeley. This has proven to be an annual highlight for the CACC - thanks to the new Golden Bears and their families for making the 2025 event another success!

CACC FEATURED IN CAL CONNECTIONS

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago was featured again for its programming and engagement with Midwest alumni - this time in the August 2025 edition of The Cal Connection that went out to Cal alumni nationwide.

Some events that the article pointed out as highlights from the past year: our annual Yield event for admitted students, our game watches and road trips for Cal athletics events, and happy hours organized to reunite alumni from the region. You can read more about the way Midwest alumni have stayed engaged through CACC programming here.

COACH CHARMIN SMITH MEETS WITH MIDWEST ALUMS, STUDENTS AT DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR JULY 21

The CACC hosted a terrific happy hour downtown 7/21/25 with Cal Women’s Basketball Coach Charmin Smith, who took time out to meet with Midwest Cal alums and students. The group talked about the upcoming '25-26 hoops season for the Golden Bears, building on last season’s remarkable turnaround and berth in the NCAA tournament. Alumni also got to meet the new WBB general manager Meghin Williams. Thanks to Tim McLaughlin and Cal Athletics for co-hosting. 

GOLDEN BEARS TAKE PART IN JUNE 26
HAPPY HOUR WITH LIVE MUSIC

Berkeley alumni met at Pritzker Pavilion on June 26 and took in live music and shared a picnic dinner together. This was the opening concert of the summer concert series in Millennium Park. Thee Sacred Souls was the featured band. Alums reported great food, music and dancing.

2025 CAL ALUMNI CLUB OF CHICAGO T-SHIRTS FOR SALE

Show your Cal spirit in Chicago by purchasing a Cal Alumni Club of Chicago t-shirt for $35 plus shipping. We’ve had alumni wear them at social events, volunteer activities, new admitted student receptions, and Golden Bear football games. Email calalumniassociationchicago@gmail.com for orders.

HOMECOMING DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR 2025

The Cal Alumni Association has shared details for the 2025 Homecoming Weekend. Lectures will allow us to hear from renowned faculty on groundbreaking research, while the Oski Wow Wow celebration on Memorial Glade and the Bear Affair Tailgate will let you celebrate with fellow alums. And the ACC home opener will be the game (this year’s Homecoming opponent is Duke).

Online registration opens in July at homecoming.berkeley.edu. We are encouraged to start making travel plans now.

LIGHT THE WAY CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS $7 BILLION

Thank you to everyone who donated to UC Berkeley’s Light the Way campaign! This multi-year effort, which had a goal of $6 billion, raised more than $7.37 billion – one of the largest of any public or private organization.

The advancement department shared with us that these generous gifts will help make the university a top public education and teaching institution. Everyone contributed to this important work demonstrated by 76% of the donations coming in at $1,000 or less. Here are just a few ways the donations will go to work: 

·       $390 million in graduate student support (fellowships, student aid and more)

·       $1.2 billion in academic investment

·       $28 million in COVID research

·       $719 million in undergraduate support (scholarships and programs)

·       $1.5 billion in capital projects and campus improvements

 For more on the campaign, check out the story here.

About

We are an officially chartered chapter of the California Alumni Association bringing together Cal alums form the greater Chicagoland area and surrounding Midwest states. 

The Cal Alumni Club of Chicago organizes social activities, game watches and volunteer events for Alumni throughout the year. We also work with the University to coordinate and host a Summer Welcome Party for the new Midwest Cal students.

If you are interested in getting involved, sign-up for our events  and please email us at  calalumniassociationchicago<at>gmail.com.  Sign-up for our monthly newsletter below.