Gloria Burkhalter, former Director of Student Life Advising Services and the Educational Opportunity Program (SLAS/EOP), started work at UC Berkeley in 1973 and retired in 2009. Including her undergraduate years as a student, Burkhalter spent 41 years at Cal. Following graduation from Cal, she joined EOP on campus as an academic counselor in 1973. “EOP gave so much to me. I wanted to give back,” she explained. In 1987, after earning a master’s in counseling education from CSU-Sacramento (while still working full-time at Berkeley), she became Director of Student Life Advising Services (SLAS), the nucleus of EOP.
"We give students tools so they can help themselves and make informed choices about their life, ask questions, and not be passive. We want them to be interdependent — not dependent, and able to be successful at Cal and beyond,” stated Burkhalter during an interview with UC Berkeley News in 2003. When she talked about EOP, Burkhalter’s passion for her work was abundantly evident. “SLAS/EOP is run from the heart,” she said.
Concerned about issues impacting staff, Burkhalter co-founded the Black Staff & Faculty Organization and was awarded a certificate of appreciation for her contributions and years of dedicated service to the organization. During years 1984-1987, Burkhalter served on the Chancellor's Staff Advisory Committee where she played a critical role in developing the Staff Ombudsperson position, and Cal's First Staff Appreciation Day, which was renamed Cal Staff Summerfest.
In 1996, Burkhalter became the Coordinator of Academic Support and Enrichment Services, a branch of the Berkeley Pledge (Chancellor's initiative) where she directed the efforts of a consortium of over 40 academic support and student services units/departments. The Berkeley Pledge was created to fulfill the University's historic promise to maintain diversity while preserving excellence.
In a 2009 interview, Burkhalter said her proudest accomplishment at Berkeley was contributing to the development and implementation of Summer Bridge, a transitional program for students coming from high school to Cal. During the program's celebration of 35 years, she received an award for outstanding service.
As the co-founder of GOALS (Graduates Organized to Assure Learning and Success), Burkhalter continues to commit her time towards helping students. GOALS is an alumni organization created to provide support, promote access, and foster academic success for underrepresented students at UC Berkeley and in the Bay Area. "GOALS recognizes the value of having a strong support system of advocates internal and external to educational institutions to promote and foster academic success," stated Burkhalter.
Read more: