UCSD - University of California - San Diego

04/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/23/2026 08:18

Building Belonging Beyond Campus: UC San Diego Alumni Volunteers in Action

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April 23, 2026

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At the heart of every thriving alumni network are individuals who choose to stay involved long after graduation. During National Volunteer Week, UC San Diego is recognizing alumni volunteers whose time, leadership and generosity continue to strengthen the Triton community in meaningful ways.

Whether they are mentoring students, launching conversations around emerging technologies or growing alumni networks abroad, these volunteers reflect the many ways Tritons continue to support one another beyond campus. Their efforts create spaces for guidance, belonging and exchange, allowing Tritons to support one another across generations, industries and geographic boundaries.

"The dedication of our alumni volunteers reflects the deep sense of connection and pride that defines the Triton community," said Shara Freeman Hoefel, assistant vice chancellor for Alumni Relations. "Through mentorship, innovation and community-building across the globe, they are creating meaningful opportunities for engagement and ensuring that every Triton feels a lasting sense of belonging long after graduation."

This year's featured volunteers, Daniela Soto '22, Sandra Peterson '86 and Xuguang Zhu, MS '13, each bring a distinct perspective to alumni engagement. They are united in a shared commitment to creating opportunities for connection and support. Here are their stories.

Daniela Soto '22

For Daniela Soto '22, alumni volunteering is rooted in mentorship, community and ensuring students feel supported in ways that last.

Soto serves on the board of the Chicanx Latinx Alumni Council (CLAC) as director of mentorship and engagement and helped co-found the Unidos x Siempre Mentorship Program. Through that work, she said, she hopes to "create an environment where students can build strong relationships with alumni and receive support on their journey through college and beyond."

Over the past several years, the program has paired more than 60 students with alumni mentors for year-long mentorship, while also creating mixers, socials and events that bring students and alumni together around shared experiences and values. Soto said those relationships often extend well beyond the formal length of the program.

"What I find most meaningful is hearing back from students at the end of the year," she said. "They often share that they formed strong connections with their mentors and are extremely thankful for the advice and genuine care they received from them. We even have mentees and mentors that remain in contact years later, and it is heartwarming knowing that we are helping spark those lifelong relationships."

Her motivation to give back is shaped by her own experience as a student. "After feeling lost during my undergraduate years, I decided to join CLAC as an alum in efforts to connect with the other Chicanx/Latinx alumni at UC San Diego and also contribute to a community that gives back to the students on campus," she said.

Through the council, Soto said alumni help provide students with mentorship, networking, career guidance, cultural connection and more. For her, that work is about helping students feel reminded that they're not alone.

Her advice to future alumni volunteers is to get involved, even if it feels unfamiliar at first. "Mentoring might seem daunting at first, but oftentimes students just need someone there in their corner to cheer them on and have their back," Soto said. "Sometimes, it's more about just being there for someone."

Sandra Peterson '86

Daniela Soto, at right, with a group of Chicanx/Latinx Alumni Council members at a UC San Diego Homecoming event at the Faculty Club
Sandra Peterson is founding chair of the UC San Diego AI Alumni Council.

Sandra Peterson '86 is helping Tritons engage with one of the most rapidly evolving areas shaping the future: artificial intelligence.

As the founding chair of the UC San Diego AI Alumni Council, Peterson has helped launch a new space for alumni, students and industry leaders to connect through accessible conversations about AI and its real-world impact. The council's quarterly webinar series includes themes such as AI Meets Life, Industry ROI and Student Spotlights, alongside broader discussions about how artificial intelligence is shaping different industries.

One moment that stood out to Peterson came during a recent Student Spotlight webinar, when three students presented AI solutions they had built while in the middle of finals.

"Watching alumni, students and professionals come together around curiosity, mentorship and practical innovation perfectly captured what this council can become," she said. "It reinforced for me that volunteering is not just about giving back, it's about creating new pathways forward."

For Peterson, giving back to UC San Diego is a natural extension of the education she received here. "UC San Diego helped shape how I think: interdisciplinary, future-oriented and grounded in solving meaningful problems," she said. Having worked in AI since 2014, she felt both "a strong responsibility, and excitement, to help create a space where Tritons can explore that future together."

Peterson encourages fellow alumni to begin with what genuinely excites them. "You don't need to have unlimited time to make a meaningful contribution," she said. "Sometimes one introduction, one event, one mentoring conversation or one new idea can create ripple effects far beyond what you initially see."

Xuguang Zhu, in front row, at far right of left table, helped bring together alumni for the 2026 Lunar New Year Gala in China.

Xuguang Zhu, MS '13

Xuguang Zhu, MS '13 is focused on alumni engagement grounded in trust, continuity and connection across continents. Over the past several years, serving as the President of the Shenzhen alumni organization and emerging as a key leader for the Greater China network, Zhu and fellow volunteers have helped grow the UC San Diego Greater China alumni community from a WeChat group of a few dozen friends to a network spanning seven cities and roughly 4,000 alumni.

Along the way, the community has hosted alumni company visits, keynote talks, cultural performances, holiday celebrations, beach barbecues and park hikes. Zhu said one of the milestones he is proudest of is not just the network's growth, but the more than 20 volunteer leaders who now help carry the work forward.

His volunteer efforts have also focused on strengthening ties between alumni in China and UC San Diego itself. Two most memorable moments, he said, were helping coordinate Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla's visit to Hong Kong and organizing alumni engagement activities around Rady School of Management Dean Lisa Ordóñez's visit to Beijing. "Both experiences gave me a deep sense that the trans-Pacific bond between us and UC San Diego has never been broken," Zhu said.

Drawing on his professional background in artificial intelligence - he also serves as assistant dean of the Tsinghua AI-DB Research Institute - Zhu founded the UC San Diego China Alumni Technical Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology, which has become one of the most active professional communities within the Greater China network. Recent events have included a Shenzhen tech talk on AI agents that drew more than 100 attendees and a Beijing study tour that connected UC San Diego graduate students with leading Chinese AI companies.

For Zhu, the motivation to give back is both personal and generational. "What I benefit from today are seeds planted by senior alumni a decade ago," he said. "I hope that 10 years from now, younger Tritons will benefit from what I'm doing today."

His advice to future volunteers is simple: "Just show up."

"The value of a volunteer is discovered and validated through specific, concrete participation," Zhu said. "Once you take that first step, meaning will come to find you."

Together, UC San Diego alumni volunteers' stories reflect what it means to be Triton - carrying forward a culture rooted in connection and generosity. To learn more about getting involved, visit alumni.ucsd.edu.

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