‘He gets and fits in Los Angeles’: Campus reactions to Julio Frenk’s inauguration

Reactions from those attending Julio Frenk's inauguration began the moment guests entered the lobby of Royce Hall, where ambient blue and gold lighting and illuminated marquees announced the day's landmark event. Audience members posed for photos in front of the signage, proud to take part in the first campus inauguration in 17 years.

Following the ceremony, UCLA Newsroom spoke with attendees about their impressions and their outlook on the university's future under Frenk's leadership. From students and staff to alumni and parents, many noted how deeply his remarks resonated - not just in tone, but in substance.

The day's events left audiences feeling hopeful - and ready to help shape the university's next chapter.

What they said:

Adam Tfayli
UCLA's student body president - and celebrating his 21st birthday on inauguration day

"I talked to him about his speech briefly. It shows that he's really committed to UCLA and I think his three pillars [to be a connective, impactful and exemplary university] were really important. I'm looking forward to what he's going to do.

"I think now more than ever, with everything going on on the federal level, it's important that we have a chancellor who's willing to fight for the students and fight for the inclusiveness of all students, and I'm really looking forward to Chancellor Frank doing that.

"We've met a lot. I've seen him over 30 or 40 times. We've had a lot of meetings, talking about different student concerns, especially with everything going on right now with international students, with undocumented students, and he showed his commitment to the students, and we really appreciate that."

Fred Yeries
Hammer Museum at UCLA deputy director

"I'm enamored with his approach to the future of the university, especially his focus on connections and UCLA for Life' and protecting diversity. I'm very much inspired and so happy he's with us. He sits on the Hammer board, of which I'm the deputy director, and it's lovely to have such a passionate leader leading us into a future that will be turbulent, but he's a comfort to us all."

John Amer
Earned a bachelor's degree in economics from UCLA in 1990

"He's a relative newcomer to our community, but I think he gets L.A. and Southern California implicitly and I'm really excited about the future. I'm a native Angeleno, so I've seen chancellors going back to Charles E. Young and they've all had their strengths for sure, but both as a lifelong Angeleno and as a UCLA alum I'm extremely excited.

"He's clearly a listen-first leader. I think an autocrat coming into a university environment is going to fail by definition. He's definitely not that. He's had 38 listing exercises, talked to over 5,800 people. That's just incredible. That's truly what shaped what you heard today in his comments; it really reflected back what he heard from the community, so it was an extremely inspirational speech that fit UCLA and he gets and fits in Los Angeles, I have no doubt."

Marion Patricio
Associate director of development at the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate

"I was incredibly moved by everything that we saw today, from the talent and the musicians, being reminded of the groundbreaking research that is coming out of UCLA and just the chancellor's leadership and everything that he represents and everything that the university represents. As a Bruin, as a now-staff member, as a native Angeleno, first-generation college grad, it was just a very moving celebration.

"I think especially now, but throughout history, these kinds of moments have been very important in reminding people that representation matters, that difference in thought and opinion is really important to drive things forward, and that message was echoed throughout all of the speeches, everything the chancellor said and everything we've been hearing and trying to to replicate as well."

Erik Martinez
Senior director of development in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA's medical education office

"I got chills watching the videos and then hearing his speech. I felt pretty inspired because I think so many of us are very rooted in the mission. We're very community-based and so seeing a leader like that who exemplifies those values was really inspiring. As an alum and a staff member, a volunteer and a first-generation graduate, I feel it captures all of those values so perfectly and it makes me feel inspired to go out and do work in the community."

Jorge Menendez
Graduated in 1996, current member of the UCLA Parents' Council

"It was outstanding. I love Dr. Frenk. I'm a member of the Parents' Council. He came to speak to us a couple of months ago and is just a great guy. We couldn't have a better chancellor at this moment.

"The mission matters and I mean 100% at the moment we're in, we couldn't have a better thesis, is what he refers to it as, of how to govern and how to lead going forward. It's going to be tremendous, I'm very optimistic."