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From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF UCLA
______
HON. TED LIEU
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, May 17, 2019
Mr. TED LIEU of California. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate
the 100th anniversary of the founding of the University of California,
Los Angeles. What was once the largest teacher training school in the
state was rechristened the Southern Branch of the University of
California, developing into the full-fledged university, nestled in the
hills of Westwood, with the global reputation it enjoys today.
With 14 Nobel Laureates, 13 MacArthur Fellows, nine National Medal of
Science Winners, three Pulitzer Prize winners, a Fields Medal, and an
A.M. Turing Award, UCLA's academic credentials are rivaled by few. And,
with 117 NCAA team championships and 261 Olympic Medals, the UCLA
Bruins are in the highest echelon of collegiate sports, with the likes
of Jackie Robinson, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Michelle Kwan, and Troy Aikman
wearing the Blue and Gold.
Along the way to such a historic milestone, each successive class of
students and their professors, doctors and researchers have lit new
paths, bringing new discoveries to the fore and making groundbreaking
accomplishments in almost every field.
The first node on the Internet in Leonard Kleinrock's laboratory in
Boelter Hall; Coach John Wooden's almost uninterrupted streak of 10
NCAA men's basketball championships and his Pyramid of Success--
building blocks in the pursuit of excellence; the first diagnosis of
AIDS in the United States; and the first confirmation of the existence
of a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milkey Way Galaxy by
Andrea Ghez--UCLA has played an important role in shaping the course of
history, advancing our understanding of the natural and man-made
worlds, and setting standards time and time again for academic and
athletic excellence.
Not only is the UCLA community proud of the accomplishments of its
students and athletes while they attended this important institution,
but also of the achievements of alumni as they pursue careers in every
field.
UCLA has contributed many of this country's most dedicated public
servants, including my predecessor, Congressman Henry Waxman, whose 40-
year record in the U.S. House of Representatives saw passage of
numerous consumer and patient protections; Ralph Bunche, who helped
negotiate an end to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; and Tom Bradley, the
first African American mayor of Los Angeles. Legendary actress and
comedienne Carol Burnett, Academy Award-winning director Dustin Lance
Black, Academy Award-winner Tim Robbins, film composer John Williams,
and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jim Morrison are only a few of the
Bruins who have left their mark on the entertainment industry and the
collective consciousness of American culture for the past century.
Given all that has happened in the first 100 years of UCLA's
existence, I eagerly look forward to what UCLA will accomplish in its
next hundred. With the launch of the UCLA Grand Challenges Initiatives
in 2013, UCLA has set admirable goals aimed at increasing
sustainability and tackling depressive disorders. The Sustainable LA
Grand Challenge focuses on transitioning Los Angeles to rely on 100
percent renewable energy and 100 percent locally sourced water by 2050,
enhancing the health of the local ecosystem and making the region a
model for the world. The Depression Grand Challenge aims to understand,
prevent, and treat depression, ultimately cutting the burden in half by
2050 and eliminating it by the end of the century.
UCLA's accomplishments would only be possible with the support and
resources of the Bruin family. I would like to commend Chancellor Gene
Block on his successful stewardship of the Centennial Campaign, which
raised $4.7 billion in total from more than 205,000 donors to fund
programs for students and faculty in every comer of campus.
On the eve of UCLA's centennial, I would like to extend my sincerest
congratulations to Chancellor Block, UC President Janet Napolitano, and
the rest of the UCLA community as they prepare for a year of
celebration. I would also like to recognize all the people in UCLA's
history that worked to make sure the university could light the way for
the past century and the next 100 years to come. Go Bruins.
____________________
