The first in her family to attend college, Lynn Nakada ’75 attended Cal with assistance from scholarships, grants, and student employment. Lynn was actively involved in a number of campus organizations: Residence Hall President and later Resident Assistant in Cheney Hall, member of the Prytanean Women’s Honor Society, and Scribe in the Order of the Golden Bear. She was the last Chair of the Women’s Rally Committee, and upon merger with the men’s organization, became co-Chair of the University of California Rally Committee and sole Chair the following year. In 1975, she received the Kenneth Priestley Award for Student Leadership.
During her 40+ years as a member of the UC Berkeley staff, Lynn’s efforts focused on strengthening Cal’s eminence as an institution, and its ability to provide the critical academic and social supports needed for student persistence and success. Her 10 years in Student Affairs including Assistant Director of Housing Services enabled her to address fundamental student life concerns for approximately 25,000 Cal students each year. Her 30+ years as a fundraising professional including Associate Director of Development enabled her to strengthen Berkeley’s fundraising infrastructure and facilitated an average of $250 million dollars raised each year.
Lynn was the first female member of the Order of the Golden Bear to serve as its Alumni Secretary. She served three terms on the Board of Directors of Prytanean Alumnae, Inc., and was proud to serve as its President when it was honored by the Cal Alumni Association (CAA) as the 2011 Alumni Group of the Year. In 1990, she received the Alumni Citation from the CAA. In 2019, she was named Outstanding Alumna by the Japanese American Women Alumnae of UC Berkeley.
Lynn retired in 2016, but continues her involvement as an alumna. She is the Class Secretary for the Class of 1975, having participated on both the class reunion gift and host committees. She served as Alumni Advisor for the Mortar Board Senior National Honor Society, served on the Board of Directors for the Cal Spirit Alumni Club, and was a chapter author and a member of the Editorial Board of the Chronicle of the University of California. In addition to serving as Vice-Chair of the Young Alumni Advisory Committee of the Cal Alumni Association, she also served two terms on the CAA Board of Directors.
As a retiree, Lynn volunteers for CAA, John Muir Health in Walnut Creek, and the Pleasant Hill Senior Center. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the UC Berkeley Retirement Center, on the Advisory Committee of the Academic Talent Development Program in the Graduate School of Education, and on the Board of Directors of the Japanese American Women Alumnae of UC Berkeley. As a modest demonstration of her love for her alma mater and a simple means by which she may give back to Cal a fraction of what she has received, Lynn has established an Alumni Leadership Scholarship.
Contributed by Lisa Kala