Since our founding in 1868, Berkeley has served as a primary engine for the country’s success, transforming the lives of our students and the trajectory of our society. Berkeley research has helped shape modern science and technology; our students and alumni have served in uniform across generations; and the Berkeley campus is a vital laboratory for democracy and civic participation.
In this historic year, few institutions can proudly claim such a varied legacy — to make the nation stronger, to question its choices, and to insist it live up to its ideas — but Berkeley can. On this page, you will find stories and events that illustrate how, through innovation, opportunity, and civic courage, UC Berkeley is and has always been a cornerstone of the American journey.
At UC Berkeley, they learned to question the status quo. They found purpose in the Peace Corps.
For some UC Berkeley alums, volunteering in the Peace Corps is a chance to take what they learned in the classroom and apply it around the world, from disease prevention in Rwanda to English instruction in Ethiopia. For others, service abroad sets them on a new professional path entirely. And for more than six decades, that drive to support others has shaped individual lives and Berkeley’s identity as a powerhouse for public service.
America250 Backs College Entrepreneurs with Re-Opening of “America’s Startup” National Competition
Following the success of its inaugural competition earlier this year, America250, the official nonpartisan organization leading the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, announced the return of America’s Startup, an expanded national collegiate competition designed to identify, support, and celebrate the country’s most promising undergraduate entrepreneurs and early-stage innovators.
Applications are open through October 8, 2026, inviting undergraduate students (or the equivalent) enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges, universities, and trade schools to compete for a share of a $1 million total prize pool — including up to $50,000 in non-dilutive grant funding per team, national mentorship, and a live pitch finale in Washington, D.C.
Upcoming Events
America 250: UC Berkeley and the Future of the American Experiment
On Friday, October 9, from 3-4 p.m. join Chancellor Richard K. Lyons and a panel of faculty experts to explore how ideas of citizenship, democracy, participation, and higher education have shaped the American experience.
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Campus Film Premiere: The Work in Progress
On Oct. 14, 6:00 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall executive producer Robert Reich brings together strangers across the country to answer candid questions about the state of American democracy, identity, and community. More about the film
America at 250: Reimagining Who We Are
Bringing together students, scholars, innovators, journalists, and civic leaders, America at 250 will explore how the United States can renew its democratic promise and foster a stronger sense of belonging and common purpose in an increasingly diverse and interconnected society. Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Rewriting the code: The inside story of the first CRISPR cure
Victoria Gray spent 34 years battling the debilitating pain of sickle cell disease. Then she volunteered to be the world’s first “prototype” for a CRISPR therapy — trading a life that felt hopeless for a future she never thought she’d see.
25 UC Berkeley breakthroughs to commemorate America’s 250th birthday
As the U.S. observes its 250th birthday, we’re looking back at some of the most notable ideas, people and innovations that have emerged from Berkeley over the course of its history, shaping the fabric of our nation and the world beyond.
Basic research on Listeria bacteria leads to unique cancer therapy
Microbiologist Daniel Portnoy cofounded a startup that’s turning Listeria into a tool to improve survival in children with leukemia and potentially other cancer patients.
For 20 years, this UC Berkeley program has helped students who’ve been in foster care succeed
Hope Scholars started with one employee and one student. It has since grown to offer hundreds of students holistic support, including mentorship, emergency funds and move-in day supplies.
Meet three Black trailblazers in STEM
Berkeley alumni Lloyd Ferguson, Mary Blackburn and Marvin Poston paved the way for Black scientists and engineers. Black Lives at Cal is developing a tour that spotlights their stories.
To understand youth experiencing homelessness, this UC Berkeley professor hires them
Coco Auerswald has dedicated her life to working with unhoused young people. Doing research alongside them is key to learning about — and solving — youth homelessness, she says.
For a Berkeley ROTC cadet, the road less traveled rises toward service and leadership
Isshin Shiraishi had no plans for a military education when he arrived at UC Berkeley. Now he’s preparing to serve as cadet commander of the Army ROTC battalion — and he’s made a commitment to service that few students can match.
Berkeley Talks: Musician Lara Downes celebrates the sound of America
The acclaimed pianist reflects on music’s power to unite across division and express the nation’s most complicated emotions over the past 250 years.
New research says framing protests as fights for civil rights ‘backfires.’ So what might work?
Kim Voss, a UC Berkeley professor of sociology, says appeals rooted in American values may be more effective today than those evoking memories of the Civil Rights Movement.