Rutgers Alumni Embrace Los Angeles

Events associated with the Scarlet Knights first ever football game in Southern California turned out large, enthusiastic crowds.

Bob Eichert had the date on his calendar for some time. 

Eichert, a 1978 graduate of Rutgers College, and more than 30 fellow alumni from the Rutgers University Marching Scarlet Knights traveled to attend the first ever football game against the University of Southern California in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Friday night.

“It's a tremendous experience for Rutgers and the Rutgers fans who have waited for a long time,” said Eichert, an emeritus member of the Board of Trustees. “We welcome USC into the Big Ten and it gives us an opportunity to be here. It's a tremendous opportunity for the university too. We've talked to a lot of USC people here and there's a commonality. We're all supporting higher education and our respective schools. It's a wonderful feeling here today.”

More than 500 attended the tailgate party hosted by the R Fund and the Rutgers University Foundation Advancement and Events team, and more than 100 enjoyed a social event downtown on the night before a game. Many traveled to Los Angeles for the game, while others were among the more than 9,000 Rutgers alumni who live in Southern California.

Click here for a photo slideshow of the alumni social and tailgate party. 

For a list of upcoming Rutgers alumni events, visit rutgersfoundation.org/events. Visit here to update your information to receive invitations to events near you.