Monica Mendoza – CPO Assistant Director & CPOSA Advisor – is here to assist you with any questions about our community service projects and about the CPO Students Association. She can be reached at mmendoza@cpo.ucla.edu.

Vusi Azania – CPO Community Services Advisor – is also available to answer any questions related to new project development, general advising, and information related to the Beloved Community Initiative. He can be reached at vazania@cpo.ucla.edu

Community Programs Office Community Service Projects

For over four decades, the Community Programs Office (CPO) has fostered the development of service learning projects across the greater Southern California region. Many of these programs have been in existence since the 1980s. These initiatives provide students with leadership development opportunities, tangible workforce skills, and the chance to explore long-term career interests. Additionally, the projects encourage networking with faculty, staff, alumni, and promote meaningful community engagement beyond campus.

Each project is allocated a significant student budget annually and collaborates with the department’s team to achieve its goals. Many former project directors have gone on to become established leaders in fields such as education, healthcare, engineering, law, nonprofit management, government, and the corporate sector.

Community Programs Office Student Association

Founded in March 1998 by student leader Antonio Sandoval Ayala, the Community Programs Office Student Association (CPOSA) is a student-majority administrative body that oversees and supports 25 student-initiated, student-run community service learning projects. These projects focus on key areas such as K-14 education, adult learning, healthcare, and collaborations with nonprofits addressing a wide range of social issues.

CPOSA advocates on behalf of these projects to University administration and influential community leaders locally, statewide, and beyond. Through direct action, CPOSA projects and volunteers deliver vital resources and services to economically and socially disadvantaged communities, creating lasting impact.

Philosophy

The student-initiated projects at the Community Programs Office (CPO) embody student empowerment, positioning students as key drivers of social change. By fostering self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-determination, these projects provide students with meaningful platforms for self-expression and leadership.

The CPO oversees 25 student-initiated community service projects, which combine classroom learning with addressing real-world social issues. Volunteers and directors offer educational, social, cultural, medical, and academic services to underserved communities throughout Los Angeles, promoting lifelong learning and critical engagement.

These projects are funded by the UCLA Community Activities Committee (CAC) and the USAC Community Service Mini-Fund. The operations and management of the CPO Student Association are further supported by the PLEDGE Referendum, passed in 2009.

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Documents

CPOSA Committee Members

Evelyn Pachuca
Internal Chairperson

Sebastian Garibay
External Chairperson

Lilyrose Rodriguez
Health Representative

Dulce Hernandez
Education Representative

Melanie Fabian
Human Services Representative

Monica Mendoza
Administrative Representative