The Student Initiated Outreach Committee was created in the spring of 1998 to support the funding and operation of college outreach programs designed to increase the number of low-income, minoritized students within institutions of higher education.
The impetus for its creation came in the wake of the dramatic drop of underrepresented students in the UC system, due to the passage of California Proposition 209 and UC Regent Standing Policy 1 (SP1).
The SIOC provides an alternative to traditional university outreach efforts. The SIOC projects accept all students who wish to join their programs while encouraging students from the most challenging, at-risk backgrounds to participate. The program works at the student’s individual level to empower them to take their academic and life goals into their own hands. There are seven projects in the Student Initiated Outreach Center that administer services to over a thousand service recipients in the Los Angeles and the greater Southern California region. These projects receive funding through successful referenda approved in 1999, 2005, 2009, and 2016.
PROJECT Services
Peer Advising
UCLA students provide one-on-one peer advising to K-14 students including reviewing their graduation requirements, providing culturally relevant advising sessions, and college application planning preparation.
Tutoring
UCLA students provide tutoring in the humanities, mathematics, and sciences to students struggling in their course work. They provide supplemental assistance to what students are learning in the classroom to get them up to the college readiness levels.
Academic Preparation Workshops
SIOC projects provide workshops on a variety of relevant topics related to college preparation, personal statement development, mental health, and other issues around student empowerment. These workshops designed by project staff aid service recipients in their academic journey to access top colleges and universities.
Leadership Development
SIOC projects provide students with an opportunity to develop their leadership skills by promoting activism and involvement in their respective schools and within the local community. This component is designed to help inspire the young generation to get involved in local and national causes to advance issues confronting marginalized communities.
Parent Engagement
Parent engagement remains a critical component in shaping a student’s educational trajectory. SIOC projects focus on parental involvement in the academic process. Many projects offer multilingual services to bridge the gap between parents, their children, and the schools.
Field Trips & Shadow Days
UCLA students provide opportunities to join undergraduate students for a day to better understand the college experience by hosting campus shadow days. Field trips and community tours are also provided to supplement the classroom experience for students in low-income, disadvantaged schools who may have less opportunities to explore the arts and other travel opportunities that better resourced schools offer their students.
SIOC Projects
American Indian Recruitment (AIR)
Project Coordinator: Deniale Urbina
Email: Durbina@cpo.ucla.edu
Higher Opportunity Program for Education (HOPE)
Project Coordinator: Lizbeth Gomez
Email: Lgomez@cpo.ucla.edu
Mentors For Academic Peer Support (MAPS)
Project Coordinator: Mazin Awad
Email: Awad@cpo.ucla.edu
MEChA Xinachtli
Project Coordinator: Adriana Hernandez
Email: Ahernandez@cpo.ucla.edu
Pacific Islanders Education & Retention (PIER)
Project Coordinator: Papu Togafau
Email: Ptogafau@cpo.ucla.edu
Students Heightening Academic Performance Through Education (SHAPE)
Project Coordinator: Rhamia Hall
Email: Rhall@cpo.ucla.edu
Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment (SPACE)
Project Coordinator: Arlo Alegre
Email: Aalegre@cpo.ucla.edu
Documents
The SIOC Statement of Understanding provides the guiding principles that govern the university-wide committee.
Download the SIOC SOU here.
Funding allocations can be found at:
Meeting agenda and minutes can be found at: