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Explore our memory gallery to get a bear’s-eye view of the UCLA College story as told through snapshots, archival objects, newsworthy images and pages from yearbooks past. Click each item to look closer and learn more about our shared and celebrated history. Special thanks to University Archives. Visit them to explore more UCLA College history.

The Early Years

A black patch with a golden bear embroidered.

A black and white photograph of a model depicting UCLA’s first four buildings

<B>A NEW CAMPUS:</B> On October 25, 1926, before any buildings were constructed on the Westwood campus, a dedication ceremony was held in front of Founders’ Rock, with various members of the UCLA College community in attendance. Among those pictured here are professor of economics Earl J. Miller (top row, far right), who taught at UCLA from 1924 to 1960; and David Folz ’26 (bottom row, fourth from left), who earned a B.A. in economics and later served as president of the UCLA Alumni Association.

<B>HEART OF UCLA:</B> In this 1930 photograph, students walk across the Royce Hall Terrace, books in hand. The iconic building’s construction had been completed just a year prior, in 1929 — the same year the first classes were held on UCLA’s new Westwood campus. Today, Royce remains a central and beloved space for UCLA College students and community members to learn, gather and celebrate.

The cover of UCLA's (then called The Southern Campus) 1927 yearbook, depicting Viking warriors and a building surrounded by trees.

A black and white aerial photograph of UCLA's Westwood campus taken in the 1930s.

<B>EARLY GRADUATES:</B> The majority of the UCLA College’s earliest graduates were women; in 1925, the first bachelor of arts degrees were awarded to 100 women and 24 men. Here, two members of the class of 1930 — including Aimee Boyle, left, who earned a B.A. in French, and Lucille Kirkpatrick — pose in their regalia beside a Ford Model A in front of Kaplan Hall, then known as the Physics-Biology Building.

A black and white illustration of Joe Bruin from the 1930s, who then resembled Disney's Mickey Mouse.

A black and white illustration from UCLA's 1947 yearbook depicting the university's expansion in Westwood.

College Campus

A black and white photography of Ralph Bunche with a man in a suit in front of "Bunche Hall," a building named in honor of him on 1969.

A black and white photograph of Charles E. Young, onlookers, and two people in bear costumes.

A blue felt patch depicting a capital "C" with a yellow outline.

A black and white photograph of Royce Hall covered in snow during the winter of 1932.

Members of the U.S. women’s national basketball team who won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympics standing on a podium at an award ceremony. Denise Curry, a graduate of the UCLA College and a former Bruin basketball player, is pictured (far right) looking as medals are being handed out.

Students walking across a bridge to get to class.

An ornate library with bookshelves, four circular windows and marble statues decorating the top of a doorway.

The California NanoSystems Institute illuminated by green and orange lights, a dark-blue night sky in the background.

Student Life

An illustration of a gold Joe Bruin in a white basketball uniform from the 1970s.

A black and white photograph from 1955 of students at a football game holding up cards spelling out "UCLA."

A black and white photograph of a carnival ride on UCLA's campus. Date unknown.

Students at a rally on Dickson Plaza to demand departmental status for Chicano studies in 1993.

An illustration of a man and woman hold a book, another wearing graduation regalia and another holding a briefcase.

A black and white photograph of student staff members of the Daily Bruin in the 1950s posing for a humorous group shot.

A black and white photograph of students eating in an outdoor courtyard.

A 1940s photograph of students socializing in the courtyard of Kerckhoff Hall.

A vintage blue and yellow pennant and button.

Academics

A black and white photograph of a row of empty desks with the words, "College of Letters and Science," superimposed in black in the upper left-hand side.

A professor and her students in a lab setting conducting an experiment involving oil and beach sand.

An illustration of a gold Joe Bruin in a white sweater leaning against a yellow illustration of "UCLA," with an elongated "L."

Professor Fred D’Aguiar in a suit and tie teaching to students in a classroom with a chalkboard.

A black and white photograph of students huddled next to a library card catalog cabinet.

A black and white photograph of Biochemist Donald J. Cram wearing a bow tie as he works with equipment in a lab.

Three men in white shirts gathered around a print press.

A black and white photograph of Angela Davis standing at a podium as she delivers a lecture to students in a lecture hall.

A yellow 1930-31 UCLA freshman class membership card and a blue pin-back button with "UCLA" spelled out in gold.

Commencement

A black and white photograph of students in caps and gowns, likely attending the first commencement held on the Westwood campus on June 14, 1941.

A color photograph from the early 1980s of students in graduation regalia outside on a sunny day.

2005 UCLA College Commencement speaker, Gary Knell '75 with Sesame Street's Cookie Monster on stage for a special appearance before the Pauley Pavilion crowd.

The cover of UCLA's 1964 Commencement program which is decorated with blue and white illustrations of buildings and hills.

A student wearing a graduation cap decorated with light blue and red roses, green leaves, a paper-cut out of a dog with the name "Zoey," stenciled atop, the Marine Corps.' Eagle, Globe, an Anchor and the words, "Thank you, Papi. This one's for you!"

Students from the 1975 UCLA College graduation ceremony dressed in caps and gowns, with a white and yellow balloon floating overheard.

Students in graduation regalia from the 2023 UCLA College graduating class.

An aerial photograph of the graduates attending the 1997 UCLA College Division of Social Sciences commencement,

A black and white photograph of Prince Philip awaiting his turn to speak at a podium, with an arena of empty seats behind him.

Read more from the UCLA College Magazine 100 edition.