Experience a day of nostalgia, connections, Anteater pride and inductions that make this gathering so meaningful.
Join us for the 2026 Golden Anteater Society Celebration, a special day honoring alumni who graduated from UC Irvine 50 or more years ago.
We’re delighted to welcome Distinguished Professor Emeritus Dr. James McGaugh as our keynote speaker.
If you were at UC Irvine during its formative years, chances are you crossed paths with him – or benefited from his leadership. As a founding faculty member and beloved professor and administrator, he’ll share stories that will bring back memories of the people, places and moments that made your Anteater experience unforgettable.
Whether you’re joining us for your first Golden Anteater Society Celebration or returning to welcome our newest members, you’ll reconnect with fellow Anteaters and relive the memories that made your time at UC Irvine so meaningful.
Your celebration includes:
Dr. James McGaugh is more than just a distinguished scientist – he might even be a familiar face from your own days as a student at UC Irvine. As one of the university’s founding faculty members, he joined in 1964 and played a key role in shaping UC Irvine’s early years.
A world-renowned expert in memory research, Dr. McGaugh founded UC Irvine’s Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. Today, as Distinguished Professor Emeritus, he continues to be a vital part of UC Irvine’s story.
We’re lucky to have this special chance to hear Dr. McGaugh share stories from his time as a founding UC Irvine faculty member – and maybe even spark some memories from your own days at UC Irvine.
