May and June are my favorite months of the year. On campus, the jacarandas are in full bloom. UCLA’s Global Development Lab hosts its annual Project Incubator Showcase. And, in Pauley Pavilion and Royce Hall, I congratulate the International Institute’s Class of 2025, thank their family and friends, acknowledge their professors and listen to inspiring speeches. Above all, there is joy in the air.

By July and August, we are already planning for fall quarter.

At Chancellor Julio Frenk’s inauguration, he shared a vision for UCLA as a connective, exemplary and impactful university. At the International Institute, we connect UCLA to the world and to the global city of Los Angeles. To date, 2025 has been tumultuous on many fronts and much uncertainty lies ahead. One thing is certain: the International Institute remains committed to expanding UCLA’s reach as a global university and educating inter-culturally competent global citizens.

To that end, the UCLA Global Advisors Council will soon announce the recipients of its inaugural Global Research and Global Education Awards, which provide funding for members of UCLA to engage in collaborative international research and for UCLA faculty to internationalize the curriculum.