Interested in Being an Alumni mentor to a UCLA Black Undergrad Student? Sign up to be a mentor through ASP's African Brothers and Sisters Mentorship Program. Info and application are below.

The directions to submit the application are as follows:

1) Download the application at this URL address:

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B8s1uv-mXeI2YjhjZjBlZWUtYWEzYS00ZTVlLWExYjQtMDA1N2MzZDdmMWVl&hl=en&authkey=CLCSuaYF 2) Fill out the application

3) E-mail the completed application to africanbrothersandsisters@gmail.com or print it and turn in the hard copy to ASP cubicle located in Student Activity Center Room 105

 

Renew Your Dues Today

Please renew your membership online at www.uclablackalumni.org. Your membership helps us to assist alumni, students and the community. Annual Membership is only $50. Thank you!

LinkedIn.com

We have created an UCLA Black Alumni page on the linkedin.com website. If you are a current paid member and would like to connect with other Black Bruins in a professional networking environment. We will add job postings as they become available to us!

 

Twitter

We are on twitter.com @BlackBruinAlum.

 

Facebook

Reconnect with other UCLA Black Alumni Association. 

 

Vusisizwe Mkanyasi Azania

It has been 30 years since Vusi was first admitted to UCLA as an incoming freshman through the Academic Advancement Program's Freshman Summer Program in 1980. Since that time he and the campus have undergone some pretty significant changes.  If you were a student at UCLA in the 1980's, not only did the campus look very different, most people knew Vusi as Greg Nelson.  While he served in several appointed positions within Afrikan Student Union and NOMMO during his first few years on campus, it was Vusi's involvement with the African Education Project (AEP) in the UCLA Community Programs Office (CPO) and a song by Bob Marley-Pimpers Paradise, that he credits with motivating him to change his name. He explains that given the consciousness he was developing, he felt compelled to tell his parents that he just didn't feel like a Gregory Darnell Nelson anymore.  Although it was a challenge at first, especially for his dad, it is a life choice he says that his mom, dad and siblings have come to appreciate. 

Of his many accomplishments as a student leader at UCLA, Vusi is proudest of convincing then Chancellor Charles Young during their 1-on-1 meeting at a Lake Arrowhead UCLA Affirmative Action Conference in December 1987, to express support for student-initiated programs in his closing remarks.  A little known fact: Vusi coined the term "student-initiated, student-run" as part of ASU's strategy to gain University support for the innovative retention programs like ASU's Academic Supports Program which Eric White('85) and Mandla Kayise ('87) pioneered.

Prior to returning to UCLA, Vusi spent 15 years in education, working for several government and non-profit agencies. Most recently, he served as Assistant Director of Educating Young Minds, Inc., a Los Angeles-based non-profit learning center that helps K-12 students excel at school and in life.  But when the chance came to rejoin CPO, he jumped at it.  He explains that he wanted to regain a certain swag he and other students leaders of organizations like ASU, MECHA, Samahang Pilipino, etc., developed as they campaigned for student empowerment and Affirmative Action.

Today, Vusi serves as a community service advisor in CPO since his return to campus in the summer of 2006. As a CPO advisor, he works with student leaders, campus and community partners to facilitate student-initiated community service efforts that are designed to address economic and social disadvantages within greater Los Angeles and beyond.  Part of his work also includes advising students regarding liability and risk management issues related to their activities as signatories and volunteers of registered campus organizations.

His future plans include completing his undergraduate studies at UCLA and earning an advanced degree in education, public policy or urban planning.  He also hasn't ruled out studying law, an ambition he had before pursuing a career in education.  Between now and his planned 2026 retirement date, Vusi intends to help develop more community service-learning opportunities as well as to continue encouraging students to participate in campus governance and civic engagement.  After retiring, he plans to travel more as well as to write and talk about the 80's decade.

Vusi has two children-a son who graduated from Hampton University and is in his 2^nd year at Thomas Cooley Law School in Michigan; and a daughter who will be entering kindergarten this year.

Vusisizwe Azania can be contacted at vazania@saonet.ucla.edu or (310)825-2420.

January 18th

Save the Date - UCLA Football Awards Banquet 

$100 per seat  Contact Gina Garrett at

ggarrett@athletics.ucla.edu