This year was a big one for UCLA, for a myriad of reasons — first and foremost, the beginning of the tenure of our seventh chancellor, Julio Frenk. We at the magazine were proud to present the first in-depth profile of the university’s new leader, along with stories that explored, among other things, the books that most influenced him, his passion for opera and the burning questions he had about settling into life in L.A. We were also pleased to present a candid Q&A with his spouse, the esteemed health scholar Dr. Felicia Marie Knaul.
Beyond those, our favorite stories of the past year explored a wide range of topics, from engineering to sports, the arts to student life. Here are our Top 10 picks.
The 50th Anniversary of Arthur Ashe’s Wimbledon Win
In an all-Bruin final, Ashe became the first Black man to win a singles title at England’s most prestigious tournament. (Our very first animated feature!)
How Star Wars fired Dennis Hong’s imagination and led to his becoming a master of the robot universe.
A Historian With Her Own Story to Tell
A gloriously written profile brings Nell Irvin Painter M.A. ’67 — highly regarded for both her writing and her artwork — into vivid focus.
How UCLA archivists are preserving some of our most critically important cultural treasures, at a time when it’s more important than ever. 
An exploration of the quiet beauty of Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park, at the edge of campus, a cemetery to the rich and famous. (Bonus: A cool interactive tour!)
How Dave Roberts took the storied L.A. Dodgers to back-to-back World Series championships.
He Can Tell You How to Get to Sesame Street
Alan Muraoka ’85 celebrates more than a quarter century on America’s favorite block.
We accompany the UCLA Climbing Club out to Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon, where students discover a whole lot more than just how to scale boulders. (Bonus: Cool video story!)
How the archive of a famed mid-20th-century fashion designer came to UCLA. 
The Mad Search for Billy Crystal’s Missing Sweater
An actor’s offhand comment sends our intrepid editorial assistant on a Nancy Drew–worthy mission to find a lost piece of Hollywood sartorial history.
And our runners-up: The course that changed a student’s life forever, how UCLA is pioneering research to prevent wildfires; the content platform where Bruins are leading the national discourse — and a breakthrough in the search for a baldness cure (our most-read story of the year!).
Read more from UCLA Magazine’s Fall 2025 issue.
