Political Science Commencement 2025

Political Science Commencement Ceremony
Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Location: Pauley Pavilion
Ceremony Start Time: 8:30am
Faculty Arrival: 7:45am at the Pauley Pavilion Club (continental breakfast will be served)
Commencement Speaker: Scott Richland, B.A. ’83 Political Science

Scott Richland recently retired as the Chief Investment Officer of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena California, which he joined in 2010.  In his role he oversaw the investment of Caltech’s $4.2 billion endowment and $550 million capital expenditure fund and also oversaw the Institute’s insurance risk management and off-campus real estate acquisition and divestiture programs.  Prior roles included President of Andell Holdings, Managing Director at AIG, Executive Vice President of SunAmerica Financial, and Senior Associate at Citicorp North America. He now focusses his time on senior governance roles on for-profit and not-for-profit Boards including Jiko Group, Inc.; Pasadena Private Lending, Inc.; and Foldax Inc.  In addition, Mr. Richland is currently a member of the Investment Committees of the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles and John Muir Health System and serves as a Senior Advisor to Fin Capital.

Mr. Richland earned his MBA from The Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was designated an Arjay Miller Scholar (top 10%), and his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in political science from UCLA.  He resides in Orinda, California with Cathleen, his wife of 40 years, whom he met at UCLA as a sophomore.  They have two adult sons who both live in the San Francisco Bay area.

 

 

If you are available to attend, please email Nadia Avila (navila@polisci.ucla.edu) to confirm your participation. With over 600 expected graduates, we would appreciate volunteers to assist with reading names during the ceremony. If you are willing to help, please indicate this in your response.

You may order your regalia here.

  • Non-UC regalia deadline: Friday, April 4
  • UC regalia deadline: Friday, May 23

Staff will be available at the Pavilion Club to assist with putting on your regalia and they can handle the return process after the event.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Nadia with any questions. Thank you in advance for your participation.