CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF WESTFIELD UTC’S NEW PLAY SPACE

Celebrate the opening of the new Westfield play space for children of all ages from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 14 at Westfield UTC. The new play space is located near the restaurant Eureka! and kid-friendly retailers like Children’s Place and Geppetto’s. The opening celebration will include arts and crafts, pop jets, fun giveaways, and an interactive Birch Aquarium tide pool activity featuring aquatic animals. No RSVP is required. Visit westfield.com/utc for more information. 

CCS RAISES OVER $500K AT 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA 

Center for Community Solutions raised $560,000 at the organization’s 50th Anniversary Gala aboard the USS Midway. The funds raised will be used to further CCS’ mission to provide intervention, healing, advocacy, and prevention programs and services for individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.

“Thanks to our generous supporters, CCS has been able to serve the San Diego Community for half a century,” said Verna Griffin-Tabor, CEO of CCS. “We’re proud to have accompanied so many survivors along their healing journey, but until there is not one person out there who needs our services, there is work left to be done.”

Academy Award-winning actor and advocate Geena Davis was the keynote speaker and shared anecdotes of her career in Hollywood as well as insights about her work to the crowd of nearly 400 supporters.  For more information about CCS, visit ccssd.org. 

UCSD APPOINTS NEW GRADUATE DIVISION DEAN

After an extensive national search, the University of California San Diego campus welcomes Harvard University professor and administrator James Soto Antony as the dean of the Graduate Division. Effective Sept. 1, 2019, Antony provides leadership to the academic divisions in the recruitment and retention of graduate students as well as set divisional goals in alignment with the university’s strategic plan.

A University of California alumnus, Antony currently serves on the faculty of the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University, and is the director of Harvard’s Higher Education Program. At UC San Diego, Antony will also hold a tenured faculty appointment in the Department of Education Studies.

Antony holds both a doctorate and masters in Higher Education and Organizational Change as well as a baccalaureate degree in psychology, all from UCLA. Antony said he is excited to join UC San Diego, a world leader in graduate education across all of its departments and programs.

“Returning to the University of California system—the system that educated me, and that opened up a world of opportunity to me—is also personally exciting. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues to ensure that the UC continues to transform students’ lives, the way it transformed mine.”

For more information about UC San Diego’s Graduate Division, visit, grad.ucsd.edu. 

KONMARI CONSULTANT TO VISIT WESTFIELD UTC ROOM & BOARD

Learn about organization tips with a KonMari consultant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 13 at Room & Board’s Westfield UTC Showroom, 4525 La Jolla Village Drive. KonMari consultant Tricia Fidler will share her knowledge on how to simplify and spark joy in your life and home. A light brunch spread will be served, and attendees will have an opportunity to win an introductory, in-home session with Tricia or a $250 gift card to Room & Board. The event is free, but guests are encouraged to RSVP online at roomandboard.com. 

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR LA JOLLA CHRISTMAS PARADE

Registration is officially open for the 62nd annual La Jolla Christmas Parade and Holiday Festival. Registration will close on Sept. 30 at the end of the business day or as soon as the allocation of entries per category is reached. Applications for this year’s event are available at ljparade.com. This year’s theme for the parade and festival is “Christmas on the Moon,” and the event will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8. For more information, please email [email protected].