Dear supporters,

Thank you so much for your support to the UCLA Center for Community Engagement during its 2023 Spark campaign. Students minoring in Community Engagement and Social Change (CESC) conclude their academic journey in the minor with a two-quarter long research capstone project, working with community organizations across Los Angeles. Thanks to you, we raised over $5,000 to fund those capstone projects. Here are just a few of the ways you fueled engagement in our communities:

For her capstone project, Andrea T., a fourth-year physiological science student, worked with Harvest Home, a residential community organization supporting unhoused pregnant women in Los Angeles. She used funding from the campaign to survey the residents and gather their demographic information as well as assess their cultural values and depression levels.

“My research allowed me to gain valuable insights into how sociocultural expectations on mothers in minority communities can impact the prevalence of mental health disorders,” Andrea said. “I am currently working to connect other organizations with Harvest Home to provide self-care services for the mothers, including yoga, exercise and skincare. Most importantly, I am collaborating with the staff at Harvest Home to host events that celebrate cultural diversity and foster connections among mothers with similar cultural backgrounds, strengthening their sense of community.”

Adina M., a fourth-year psychology student, partnered with the Disability Community Resource Center to investigate the relationship between self-determination and health-related quality of life in adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities using a quantitative survey.

Adina used donor funding to cover transportation costs, ensuring that she could conduct her survey in-person. “Historically, researchers have often overlooked that administering surveys exclusively online may restrict participation to those who can independently read and physically respond to the questionnaire,” she said.

Your donation enabled these talented young researchers to make significant contributions to often-overlooked areas of study while gaining valuable experience to guide them through their undergraduate career — and beyond.

“As a STEM major, I feel that my classes focus so heavily on the science aspect, not on building the interpersonal skills that are essential for healthcare,” Andrea said. “Thus, I am really thankful for the CESC’s curriculum for teaching me social issues and allowing me to work directly with the community that I may someday serve as a future physician.”

“The CESC minor added a sense of cohesiveness to my undergraduate experience that I am now translating into the workforce as I enter a role in the corporate world that focuses on community engagement in the technology sector,” Adina said.

Thank you again for your support to the UCLA Center for Community Engagement and the CESC minor. If you would like to make another gift, you may do so online here.

Thank you! Because of you, we surpassed our goal and raised $5,156 from 37 donors. We are so grateful to all our friends, family, alumni, students and community members for participating. Because of you, more students have access to community-engaged teaching, research and learning opportunities. Through the minor and senior capstone project, students will get the hands on experience they need to develop their careers and leadership skills, all while giving back to our community.  

The reciprocity between UCLA, our students and community partners is fundamental to fulfilling our mission as a public research university, and we could not be more thankful for your support to make this possible. As we look back on the year, we are so grateful for you. We wish you the best this holiday season and hope you enjoy the clip below of our students expressing their gratitude.  

We are halfway to our goal thanks to your support! As we continue our fundraising efforts through next week, please enjoy and pass along this video featuring students sharing how community engagement has had a transformational impact on their education. 

We also have exciting news to share. Thanks to a generous supporter, gifts of any amount will be matched dollar for dollar until we reach our goal. Every gift past our goal will be doubled, up to $10,000. With just a week left in our campaign, it is the perfect time to share spark.ucla.edu/CCE2023 with your friends & family to take advantage of this special matching opportunity to help us reach our goal. 

Together, we can make a difference for our communities and students. Thank you! 

Thank you! Because of you, we are already 20% to our goal to raise support for community-engaged research and learning opportunities for our students. Your support helps students like Lilly gain valuable experience and skills that she will take with her after graduation. As a West LA YPAR scholarship recipient, Lilly taught a class at the Mar Vista Boys and Girls Club. 

"As I leave UCLA and begin a career in legal services, I will take my research and communication skills with me to continue to serve the communities around me. As an out-of-state student, the CESC minor has given me a space to volunteer in the Los Angeles community as I made it my new home over the past four years. I have gained immense knowledge and friendships out of the CESC minor and will forever look back on the minor as the most rewarding part of my UCLA education."

This week is the perfect time to help us keep our momentum going. The Blue & Gold Challenge ends Saturday at midnight, so if you haven't already gotten your commemorative pin with a $10 or $25 donation, make sure to check out the site and share spark.ucla.edu/CCE2023 with your friends & family to take advantage of this special opportunity. Thank you!