Josie "Jo" Cabiglio

UCLA UniCamp has been changing the lives of children, students and the community for more than seventy years now and the stories of those it has affected are too numerous to count. There are those stories however that represent what UCLA UniCamp is all about so well. There are those stories that can shed a small light on the huge mission that UniCamp strives to accomplish.

Josie Cabiglio was nine years old when she was first diagnosed with diabetes and began treatment at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles . During one of her many visits to the hospital, her mother looked out of the window to see a line of yellow school buses lined up outside of the hospital. She asked the doctor what was going on and he explained that every summer UCLA UniCamp held a summer camp especially for diabetic children. At that very moment Josie's mother know that this was exactly what her daughter needed. She greatly wanted Josie to attend this camp in order for her to get away and most importantly, to be with other children just like herself. She wanted Josie to know that she was normal, and that she could have fun just like a child should.

It was 1965 and once they returned home Josie's mom insisted to her father that Josie attend this summer camp. While her father was resistant to his young daughter going away to camp, they eventually talked him into agreeing.

That summer Josie attended her first UniCamp session…..the first of many. She loved it so much she asked to return. She would go on to attend UniCamp again in 1969, 1969, 1970 and 1971. At 17 years old she was able to become a junior counselor in 1972. At 18 she graduated from high school and began her studies at Cal State University Long Beach. Because she was a former camper, she was able to continue her work with UCLA UniCamp. While in college at CSULB she worked as a volunteer counselor with UniCamp and camp staff during the summer. She worked with every type of session, including the exceptional children session, which brought children up to camp affected by various disabilities such as down syndrome and autism. These sessions were 10 days long and Josie found that these 10 days were a remarkable amount of time to make a difference in a young child's life.

“UniCamp was one of the best two experiences in my life” she explained, the other experience being her time in Italy. “I learned so much about children, I think it was one of the things that makes me the best aunt in the world!”

“I started volunteering for UniCamp because I felt I had received so much as a counselor that I wanted to give back.” Josie then explained like so many others the real motivation behind putting in all of the work that Student Volunteers do, “Once I became a counselor, however, I felt I was receiving more than I could ever give.”

Josie went on to graduate from Cal State Long Beach in 1977 wherein she embarked on a career as a reporter for more than 10 years. She also worked in public relations in addition to teaching “Italian for Travelers” and Mass Communication courses at various community colleges.

Josie has carried the legacy of UniCamp with her throughout her life. She still keeps in contact with many Old Woodseys….and holds the fondest of memories of her time with UniCamp and the friends she met there.

Josie is a lasting example of the legacy UCLA UniCamp can create through its cycle of stewardship- circling from one small camper at a time to an energetic Student Volunteer to a generous Community supporter.