Kristina Gruenberg

Alexander William Gruenberg was born in Santa Barbara, California on September 18, 1984 to Robert and Molly Gruenberg. Alex was the oldest brother to Andrew, Adam, Danielle, and Jesse. Growing up, Alex honed his leadership skills with his younger siblings, and his interests spanned from playing the tuba to running planetarium shows at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family laughing, joking and taking the annual cabin trip to Big Sur.

Alex went on to study Political Science at the University of California Los Angeles, and was involved in numerous campus activities. In addition to serving as a Resident Assistant, he was the Financial Supports Commissioner for USAC, a founding member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, a member of the UCLA Marching Band, and a member of the Student Welfare Commission, where he organized blood drives.

During a freshman science class, Alex met his future wife Kristina. The two became friends, but it was not until their junior year when running for student government President and Vice President that they won each other’s hearts.

After graduating from UCLA, Alex worked in student affairs at Syracuse University and George Washington University. While in Washington, DC, Alex was the President of the local alumni chapter of UCLA, in which he helped foster a community for Bruins across the country.

In 2011, Alex and Kristina returned to their home state of California to be near family and sunshine, and married in San Clemente, CA. Alex had the privilege of working for several years for his alma mater, with the UCLA Alumni Association and the UCLA Foundation. Alex and Kristina relocated to Orange County in 2014, where Alex took the post of a development officer at UC Irvine. Alex intended to pursue a doctoral degree in education, and had been admitted to UCLA’s Graduate School of Education & Information Studies. In his free time he loved organizing tailgates, cheering on the Bruins, playing with his cats, and traveling around the world.

Alex passed away in March 2015 due to medical complications. Although Alex’s death came unexpectedly and far too early, he was surrounded with the abundant love of his wife and family.

Alex will always be remembered for his selfless devotion to family and friends, his sense of humor, and his joyful spirit. The Alexander Gruenberg Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Alex’s commitment to higher education and the UCLA community.