Wednesday, May 18 is UCI Giving Day 2022. On this day, we invite you to support UCI Student Success Initiatives (SSI). SSI supports traditionally underrepresented student populations at UCI with some of the best student programs in the nation. This Giving Day, all gifts to SSI will go towards empowering the personal […]
Student Success Story
How UCI’s FYRE Scholars Program Helps Students Find Community and Purpose
At the University of California, Irvine (UCI), students are encouraged to learn, develop and grow. However, learning at UCI doesn’t just happen in classrooms and lecture halls—it takes place across campus as students engage with each other, faculty and staff. With every new connection that students make, they open themselves […]
Bridging the Gap: How SSI Empowers Student Confidence
For most students at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), excelling academically and achieving all their goals sounds like a dream scenario. However, for biological sciences major Britanny Duong, dreams aren’t always as they seem: “At the beginning of my first year, I was extremely nervous about my classes because […]
How UCI’s FYRE Scholars Program Empowers Former Foster Youth
For third-year anthropology major Deana Polyvko, the start of her college experience at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) was marked by personal challenges. “I had financial insecurity during my first two years at UCI, as well as food insecurity and a lot of stress due to commuting and family […]
From Mentee to Mentor: How UCI Programs Help Students Give Back
For incoming freshmen at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), the idea of relocating to Orange County and joining an undergraduate student population of over 30,000 can seem intimidating. This is especially true for students coming from smaller towns outside of Southern California, like second-year pharmaceutical sciences major Ethan Chhan. […]
From Freshman Year to the Future: How SSI Programs Set Students Up for Success
For many incoming freshmen, the idea of completely transitioning to life at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) can seem daunting. However, units on-campus like Student Success Initiatives (SSI) offer a variety of resources to support students as they adjust to life at UCI. For instance, scholarship programs like SSI’s […]
UCI Students Find Technological Support in a Remote World
As a second-year pursuing a degree in civil engineering, Matthew Thomas knew that he would encounter certain difficulties as a student. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 was something that Matthew could never have anticipated. “I feel like I’m on summer vacation,” he laughs bitterly, his dismay evident even over the […]
SSI: Helping Students Find Success Through Community and Support
In the summer of 2017, Nancy Duong was like many incoming freshmen who were looking for a way to prepare for life at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). As she searched through the various programs offered on campus, she discovered Summer Bridge, hosted by UCI’s Student Success Initiatives (SSI). […]
Ignelly Taylor
Major: Biological SciencesSuccess Story: Received the Edison Scholarship. Suggestions and advice you have for students who are applying for scholarships, leadership opportunities, etc. Always ask for help. Do not wait until things are really bad to check-in with someone.