Lori Macdonald 鈥 鈥05 B.A. Liberal Arts
By Daisy Ratzlaff
Lori Macdonald鈥檚 passion for education and community is as strong as ever. After dedicating
18 years to 海角社区CI and retiring in 2020, the 2005 Liberal Arts major has taken a unique
path from being a non-traditional student and University staff member to serving as
an instructor for Grand Juries with the Civil Grand Jury Association of California.
鈥淚 was part of that very first class in 2002 and worked in the Office of the President for Dr. Richard Rush. Over time, I was offered a position in the Enrollment Center by the Vice President for Student Affairs,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 actually worked at the University from the moment it opened and retired during the Covid-19 pandemic.鈥
Reflecting on the early days of 海角社区CI, when the campus only had a handful of students and classrooms, along with the Bell Tower 鈥渂ut not much else,鈥 Macdonald said it was 鈥渢hrilling鈥 to be part of something that was just beginning to take shape.
鈥淚t was so much fun to see this thing being built that was beneficial to so many different people and the community,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e were pioneers; people getting a message out about the possibilities that higher education could bring.鈥
Macdonald said her years of work as an Enrollment Center Specialist and a Coordinator of Student Recruitment Programs allowed her to witness the transformative power of education, especially for students from underserved backgrounds.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like dropping a pebble in the pond and you get that ripple that forms outward,鈥 Macdonald said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 just change a family; it changes whole communities.鈥
Upon retiring, the Southern California native, who spent much of her youth in Palmdale, initially anticipated a quieter life. However, she quickly found a new calling.
鈥淚 thought I would be sitting on my laurels, not doing much of anything,鈥 she said with a smile. 鈥淚n reality, after six months there was this little blurb on Nextdoor about becoming a Ventura County grand jury member, so I applied and was chosen.鈥
Selected through a blind process after passing background checks, Macdonald served on the grand jury for two years, becoming the foreperson in her second year. During that time, she was also approached by the Civil Grand Jury Association of California to train new grand jurors. In her current role, she now travels several months a year to conduct training sessions 鈥 both in-person and via Zoom 鈥 across different counties, where she educates jurors about responsibilities and provides practical advice.
鈥淚 am training other grand juries on how to be a grand juror, including report writing, which is mandated by penal code,鈥 she said.
Macdonald鈥檚 passion for the University hasn鈥檛 diminished. She remains active in the alumni community, attends events like Dodger Day and the Campus Reading Celebration, and engages with the Retiree Association. She especially enjoys connecting with former student assistants whom she managed during her time at the University and considers one of her greatest accomplishments.
鈥淚t brings me great joy to see how successful they have been, going where life takes them,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like watching your kids grow up. It鈥檚 fun.鈥
