Letter from the Vice Chancellor
Margaret Klawunn, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Dear Friends of Student Affairs,
I’m so pleased to write to you in this 11th edition of the Student Affairs Annual Report in a new format. We’ve gone digital! The Assessment, the Annual Report Production, and Student Services Information Systems Teams have been hard at work over the past year designing a completely custom interface for this report.
As a reader, what you see is a well-organized and intuitive report that builds upon the key elements we’ve established over the previous ten editions. This new format will give departments new flexibility in terms of content types and report lengths, and it will also allow us to more easily include feature articles beyond our department profiles. Occasionally, you might even see early releases or late additions of special content. On the backend, this site was designed from the ground up to allow departments to easily build customized, beautiful, multimedia report pages with ease, and to allow the editing team to manage the editing and approval process in one place. Thank you to all who contributed to this effort! This new web-based format will serve us for years to come.
Our Annual Report site isn’t the only thing that’s been under construction this year. In last year’s report (see Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, p. 48), we reported on the process we undertook to conduct a ‘stay interview’ with every director in Student Affairs. Those interviews, along with strategic direction from our Student Affairs Executive Team, informed our path forward and we’ve been engaged in a series of deliberate, significant changes in Student Affairs to maximize our contributions to student success while maintaining a sustainable workload for our hardworking staff.
One of the first major changes we identified was an opportunity to realign departments in clusters that would be more intuitive to students and staff alike. Our goals included simplifying resource navigation for our students while also clustering like departments to improve cross-unit communication and collaboration. With this in mind, Student Affairs is now organized into three distinct areas:
- Student Enrollment and Success – Led by Dr. Mike M. Miller, ‘SEAS’ units lead students through critical moments in their academic journeys from pre-admission outreach to post-graduation career success. Every unit in the cluster plays a key role in ensuring student access to, and success in, UCSB’s engaging curriculum.
- Student Life – Led by Dr. Katya Armistead, Student Life departments bridge engagement and education in and out of the classroom, helping students to build their character and sense of self, and to engage with peers in community building and leadership development activities.
- Student Wellbeing – Led by Dr. Angela Andrade, Student Wellbeing services provide both proactive health outreach and responsive services in both clinical and non-clinical settings. These units provide education that promotes lifelong health and contribute to the safety of our campus, too.
My office is primarily responsible for coordination among these units and administrative support for all units in Student Affairs, and I maintain close advisory relationships with key stakeholders, including student leaders and committees, senior campus and system colleagues, our dedicated staff and faculty, and key partners including our donors, trustees, and parents.
Whatever your connection to UCSB and Student Affairs, I’m glad you’ve found our Annual Report and I hope you will take time to explore the contents.
You’ll find dozens of inspiring stories, all testaments to the hard work and ingenuity of Student Affairs staff, that touch the lives of thousands of students and help to propel them toward greater academic persistence and success.
A favorite update of mine this year? Student Affairs, with support from the Student Fee Advisory Committee, students, and Veterans and Military Services, addressed the longstanding problem of a lack of effective campus transportation for temporarily and permanently disabled students. The new campus and Isla Vista-wide Mobility Transport Program. At present, it’s led by a single staff member and a small army trained student drivers (many affiliated with Veterans and Military Services) who navigate the campuses twists and turns gracefully in a fleet of four golf carts and one van. The program grew quickly, a testament to its necessity: it began by serving four students at the beginning of Fall quarter, served 37 by the end of Spring quarter, and served a total of 59 individual students throughout the year.
Have an idea or a suggestion? Please drop my office a line! vcsaoffice@sa.ucsb.edu.
Thank you for reading!
Margaret Klawunn, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Profile: Career Services
Innovating Careers and Services
A Discussion With the Executive Director of Career Services
A profile on Career Services perfectly aligns with this year’s theme for the Annual Report, which focuses on preparing the next generation of leaders. The vision of Career Services is to educate, empower, and inspire students to explore and leverage their education and unique strengths to address global needs and challenges through their careers. Highlighting the metrics that Career Services professionals use and how they collect data, particularly at a research university, offers a window into the innovative work Career Services has been doing.
Career Services Makes an Impact
Career Services leverages a strategic roadmap to outline its priorities and guide its work. This roadmap helps direct decision-making, resource allocation, and energy, focusing on the department’s desired impact. Many career centers nationwide share common goals, primarily supporting the career readiness of all students. UCSB’s Career Services roadmap emphasizes having a solid staff is essential to tackling the increasingly complex challenges of today’s job market, ensuring students receive the guidance and resources they need to succeed in their career journeys.
Currently, Career Services is intensifying its employer engagement strategies while exploring innovative student programming and engagement techniques. By leveraging technology, social media, and diverse outreach methods, Career Services aims to make its services accessible to students without requiring them to visit the office in person. Simultaneously, Career Services is fostering personal connections between students and employers. For example, the department enhances services by integrating employers into career education efforts and encouraging active participation in skill-building workshops, resume critiques and interview preparation sessions.
One initiative that Career Services is particularly excited about is employer site visits, where students visit local industries to gain an inside look at what it’s like to work for a company or organization. By immersing students in the work environment, they genuinely understand the company culture and potential roles. These visits are open to all students, and through strong partnerships with employers, Career Services ensures that Gauchos gain valuable exposure to a “day in the life” of an employer.
Students attended site visits to Yardi and Consolidated Electric Supply
Students attended site visits to Yardi and Consolidated Electric Supply
Students attended site visits to Yardi and Consolidated Electric Supply
Students attended site visits to Yardi and Consolidated Electric Supply
Employer Valued Skillset
Many pages in this year’s annual report focus on the importance of transferable skills. But what exactly are employers looking for?
Transferable skills are abilities developed in one context that prove valuable in many others. For example, honing communication skills through class presentations can translate seamlessly to the workplace, where you might be presenting business strategies or data analysis. Career professionals emphasize career competencies developed through deliberate planning and collaboration with employers. Nationwide, career services offices, in partnership with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), have identified key competencies students develop in academic and professional settings. These include Career & Self Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, and Technology skills.
Students at UCSB build these competencies in various settings—whether in the classroom, student employment, internships, fieldwork, or research projects. Employers often value students who demonstrate leadership outside the classroom, seeking well-rounded candidates with diverse experiences and skills developed throughout their UCSB journey.
There’s a growing shift from traditional "hard" and "soft" skill labels. The old notion may have implied that hard skills were difficult to acquire, though many can be relatively straightforward. Conversely, what were once labeled soft skills—such as communication or teamwork—are actually challenging to master. Many employers now believe hard skills can be easily taught, while transferable skills, like those associated with emotional intelligence and interpersonal communication, require time and real-world experience to develop. This recognition is why career professionals now prefer "transferable skills" and "career competencies" to reflect the complexities of these valuable abilities better.
Measuring Career Success
Career Services collects data on how students access its resources and the types of appointments they schedule in a continuous effort to improve student services. This information informs decision-making, helping the department design programs and skill development workshops that align with student needs. With students' and employers' constantly evolving demands, Career Services prioritizes conducting small, frequent assessments to capture snapshots of their impact before advancing to new initiatives.
The department aims to evaluate all aspects of its services. Since the pandemic, a shift has been observed in how students engage with the office. In response, Career Services adapted by offering career information and services in formats students are now more accustomed to. A key focus has been short-form videos, such as "Tip Tuesdays," which provide quick career advice. The online platform Handshake has also introduced new features, including reels and short videos that students can scroll through for easily digestible tips. Career peer advisors have played an important role in creating student-friendly, bite-sized content delivered directly to their phones.
Interestingly, students tend to engage with Career Services multiple times or not at all—very few interact with the office just once. This insight has influenced the department’s strategy: when students engage with one reel, attend one event, or like one social media post, it often sparks further involvement. These assessments have reshaped the way Career Services interacts with students. The department has embraced the idea that a 30-minute appointment cannot cover everything, so students are given actionable steps for each interaction. For instance, a follow-up for interview preparation may be scheduled after a resume review.
Career Services employs a "career pathway" model. Regardless of their major, students can express interest in one of several career paths and receive tailored information and programming specific to that career path. The entire Career Services website has been redesigned to reflect these career paths, ensuring students receive personalized guidance. Career Services at UCSB continues to evolve through continuous assessments and customized services in response to students' changing needs.
Profile: Student Enrollment & Success Cluster
The Division is in Good Hands with Emerging Leaders
Training Staff for Future Growth and Leadership
The Student Academic Support Services (SASS) and Enrollment Services (ES) clusters experienced 4 new director transitions this last year. Three of the new Directors came from Assistant Director roles within their respective departments. Having a talented applicant pool that is competitive in a national search environment is a strong indication of the effectiveness our inhouse preparation, training and mentorship efforts. To further formalize training and enhance staff professional development efforts, we identified the next tier of leaders as a training priority for our clusters' strategic plan.
SASS leadership, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Lupe Navarro-Garcia, Associate Dean, Mark Shishim and Director of Budget & Administration, Nancy Dinh had been discussing the idea of an assistant director training program for some time. This idea became more important when they realized that hiring inhouse Directors would also require onboarding new Assistant Directors. They, too, would need training for their new role.
SASS shared the plan with Enrollment Services' cluster, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Mike Miller. The Division of Student Affairs is in the process of an organizational transformation. These two cluster areas are scheduled to revert to a previous unified cluster model connecting enrollment with retention. Joining forces on a collaborative project provided the perfect opportunity to unify efforts and begin the strategic partnerships across both enterprises. The collective conversation expanded the participant pool to include administrative staff in the new professional development initiative.
The Assistant Director and Administrative Staff Training Program was officially launched in spring 2024.
In total, sixteen participants from multiple departments were invited (and accepted the invitation) to participate in the nine-week training.
The training content was both knowledge-based (i.e. leadership styles and frameworks, finance) and awareness (skills)-based (i.e. public speaking, networking). The learning outcome for the training program encompassed both content areas: By participating in the training program, participants will increase their knowledge and/or leadership skills in the areas of finance, people management, organization, public speaking, and networking.
Training topics included organizational frames, identifying one’s leadership type, public speaking, Finance and Budget 101, VCSA office and division protocols, and people management/Human Resources. Two panel discussions were held pulling in current and former leaders, Managing During Times of Crisis and Assistant Director to Director. Trainers were in house experts from across the division, Student Affairs’ Executive Leadership Emeriti, Directors who were former Assistant Directors and an alumnus who is a Human Resource industry leader.
To gather evidence of impact, we embedded an assessment plan into the training model. Participants completed a pre and post survey to compare their competency/confidence levels before and after training and identify areas of impact. The survey included both quantitative and qualitative questions.
In total, 16 participants completed the pre-survey and 10 completed the post survey. Of the four areas assessed, all areas showed an increase in their confidence and/or knowledge. (Rating: 1=Highly Disagree, 5=Highly Agree)
When asked in the pre and post training survey about what knowledge areas they hoped to increase and the actual knowledge areas they increased, the word clouds reflect their responses before the training and after its completion.
By participating in the Assistant Director & Admin Training, I hope to increase my knowledge of…
By participating in the Assistant Director & Admin Training,
I increased my knowledge of…
Of the 10 post survey responses, 100% of participants were able to identify three takeaways from their training participation.
Their collective takeaways are noted below.
- Communication/Public Speaking Involves Story Telling
- Budget/Finance/Ethics
- Confidence as a Leader/Organizational Frames/Leadership Styles
- Mentors as Valuable Resources/Connecting to Resources/Mentors/Peers
- Demonstrating Values to Action/Leading by Example/Supervisor Impact on Employees
- Management Skills/HR/Labor Laws
- Risk Management
- Political Acumen
The participants suggested the following topics for future training
- Emotional Intelligence/Building Psychological Safety
- Student Affairs History
- Budgeting Scenarios
- Grant Writing
- Expanding Human Resource Training/Re-classification Process
- People Management/Redirecting Difficult Situations
- Effective Communication
- Building Stronger Teamwork/Connection Among Managers/Networking Guidance
- Supervisor Skills
- Frequently Used Student Affairs Policies
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives
- Modeling Leadership Behavior
A training program cannot be concluded without a session debrief and certificates. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Margaret Klawunn joined the planning team to congratulate the Student Enrollment and Success participants.
- Sarah Cortes (SASS Admin)
- Brenda Cortez (EOP)
- Emma Cristofani (CLAS)
- Patricia Garcia (EOP)
- Jenny Greaney (ECCES)
- Alexis Guerra (ES Admin)
- Adam Hanson (OISS)
- Anika Kitson (DSP)
- Kareen Louis (OBSD)
- Toni Martinez (ES Admin)
- Marina Nolte (ECCES)
- Aditya Patil (OFAS)
- Griselda Sanchez (EAOP)
- Rebecca Segundo (Basic Needs)
- Tamara Thompson (ECCES)
- Sylvia Vargas (ES Admin)
Testimonials
"You have introduced me to a whole new world. I am beyond grateful for this training. Each session was valuable. I appreciated meeting legends of our past, current players and my peers."
"I learnt a lot and wish I could do this whole thing again."
"This training helped me feel connected to other leaders."
Profile: Recreation
A Professional Training Plan
Recreation is Pumping Out Transferable Skills
Recreation employs a lot of students, so it's no wonder that their training programs are the gold standard for Student Affairs' approach to developing leaders. For those lucky enough to work there, preparing for life after college is not only good for their health but a lucrative opportunity to develop professional skills and identity. We interviewed students and professional staff from the Athletic Performance Center (APC) and the Athletic Training Room (ATR) in this profile to highlight the impact of their service to our student athletes – and future professionals and leaders.
There are 27 sport clubs using the APC in Rob Gym every week, providing both designated team training times and open hours for a variety of student athletes. The facility employs between 15-18 student staff members who gain hands-on experience and mentorship from Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists like Alison Parakh, who has over 25 years of experience in collegiate strength and conditioning.
Sport Club athletes receive professional help from certified Athletic Trainers and student interns for sports-related injuries. UCSB Recreation was a pioneer in offering athletic training services to Sport Clubs and has become an aspirational standard for universities across the country. Athletic Training internships are available for students. The Athletic Training program is led by our Head Athletic Trainer, Kelly Walsh.
In many ways the training for future professionals is like an academic course and internship in one; student staff learn about exercise physiology while designing exercise programs with professionals in the facility. Weekly training for student staff ensures they are prepared for operational and safety procedures, coaching techniques, and effective communication. Alison describes their leadership development in terms of increased autonomy and design. Students with the most experience put together elaborate training programs with sports teams with limited supervision and then consult professionals for feedback. The student staff spend significant time training on public speaking and presentation skills, and then practice alongside professionals as they provide constructive feedback and training management with athletes. Students oversee the time management and organization of the space as well. Senior staff members mentor new staff and oversee the schedule. The weekly trainings also aim to empower students to handle responsibilities independently and support the facility’s operations efficiently. Each week students become more competent and confident. This practical and flexible approach to leadership translates into professional job experience.
Both new and older student staff appreciate the training they receive, which they described as going beyond technical skills to include personal and leadership development. Their roles provide valuable experience in managing responsibilities and working collaboratively, which they believe will be advantageous in their future careers. Jenna, a fourth year Biological Sciences major who also conducts research at the Koegel Autism Center, described her day-to-day duties as strength training, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. But using correct techniques was a clear second to the “professional and personal communication skills, confidence, and a deeper understanding of fitness and wellness” she has gained working as an intern at the APC for three years. This is similar to how Finn, a second-year Biopsychology major interested in nursing, feels about performing assessments and working under the supervision of experienced staff. He described “empathy, patient care skills, and technical knowledge related to anatomy” as the real benefits of his experience in the Athletic Training Room (ATR). Both describe the structured mentorship as enhancing their professional skills. Jenna proclaimed, “These are the types of things I’ll talk about in job interviews.” Finn nods emphatically in agreement.
Many of the staff who wrote their departmental pages in this year's edition were student staff themselves. They know the time and energy put into weekly training sessions, constructive feedback, and blatant professional development will pay dividends for all of the students involved. Even when they leave us, they spread the spirit of service UC Santa Barbara is known for.
The Athletic Performance Center (APC) is a designated gym for Sport Club athletes to train. APC Interns learn to create and lead workouts for the various teams.
Athletic Training Room staff
Alison Parakh and the Athletic Performance Center (APC) staff put on the APC Combine each year for Sport Club athletes to compete in physical challenges.
Athletic Training Room staff
Alison Parakh and the Athletic Performance Center (APC) staff put on the APC Combine each year for Sport Club athletes to compete in physical challenges.
Athletic Training Room staff
Academic Initiatives
The Lucas Scholars
First-Gen Scientists Changing the World
Academic Initiatives has administered The Gene and Susan Lucas Undergraduate Research Fund for 10 years. In honor of former Executive Vice Chancellor Gene Lucas, this fund supports first-generation researchers at UC Santa Barbara in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 86 students have received funding for their research projects so far, totaling more than $100,000 in awards. These students represent more than 39 different majors, 20 academic departments, and have an average of 3.58 GPA!
The scholarship provides essential financial support for supplies, conferences, travel to field work, and stipends so they can "work on their projects more and wait tables less". We've seen projects fighting cancer, building mindfulness, purchasing DNA strands, manufacturing mollusks for surgery applications, and even battery chargers that use metal pins to get energy from the earth! Lucas scholars have conducted research in parasitology and disease ecology, gained valuable field experience in French Polynesia, and presented at major conferences. Perhaps more importantly, the scholarship fostered confidence, leadership skills, and networking opportunities, reinforcing student’s commitment to pursuing a graduate degree. Overall, the Lucas Scholarship significantly enhances their college experience, preparing them for a career in academia and research.
Each awardee receives individual support from one or more faculty mentors who guide Lucas scholars to the next level of their scholarship and leadership. 77 faculty have served as faculty mentors so far, 14 of them have done it multiple times. In our recent survey of Lucas Scholar alumni, students describe the impact of their faculty mentors in their development as researchers and future professionals – providing guidance, support, and life lessons. Mentors helped build students' confidence, fostered leadership skills, and encouraged them to pursue graduate degrees. The mentorship experiences not only shaped their academic paths but also emphasized the importance of collaboration, critical thinking, and the broader societal implications of their work. These relationships were pivotal in helping their first-generation scholars navigate challenges and grow as leaders in the scientific community.
In essence, the fund provides first-generation students with the experience they need to become professional researchers both inside and outside of academia. The list on the right side shows some of the responses when asked "Where are you now?" in the Lucas Scholar alumni survey. Many are pursuing advanced degrees, including a first-year medical student at UCLA, a master's student in Education at UCSB, and PhD candidates in fields such as chemical engineering, robotics, ecology, and biochemistry at various prestigious institutions. One individual is also managing projects related to climate adaptation in California, while another has returned to UCSB as a research administrator. Overall, the experiences reflect the scholarship's significant impact on their educational journeys and aspirations, while addressing systemic inequities in higher education.
By the Numbers
LUCAS SCHOLAR ALUMNI SURVEY 2024 - WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
UC Los Angeles - Medicine
UC Santa Barbara - Electrical and Computer Engineering
UC Berkeley - Master of Public Health/Environmental Health
University of Michigan - Chemical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University - Robotics
UC Los Angeles - Ecology/Evolutionary Biology
Non-Profit Studying Wildfires in California
SpaceX Engineer
UC Santa Barbara - Research Administrator
UC Santa Barbara - Biochemistry
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill - Chemistry
Princeton - Psychology
Office of Admissions
Admissions Builds Leaders
Gaucho Tour Association Leads with Excellence
The Visitor Center (VC) is one of four units within the Office of Admissions. Professional staff at the VC manages and mentors approximately 70 student tour guides each year. Guides become part of the Gaucho Tour Association (GTA), which provides a community for bonding and personal growth when they are not leading tours to approximately 50,000 visitors annually.
Students spend an entire quarter training before leading tours and becoming UCSB ambassadors. Several times a week, guides speak for 75 minutes in front of diverse campus visitors. Through this experience, they engage with students, parents, and counselors, and strengthen their communication skills. They also develop problem-solving skills and navigate the inevitable situations that can arise while leading large groups across campus, such as unexpected rain showers or busy bike lanes. Training guides includes more than memorizing routes and campus statistics. VC professional staff also teach students to listen attentively, respond empathetically, and understand the multitude of anxieties surrounding the college admission process. Authentic connections with prospective students are essential for visitor experiences and aligns with our mission of promoting higher education to first-generation families. Approximately 40% of our visitors in 2022-2023 were first-generation/income eligible groups visiting UCSB, and GTA guides were key in bridging the connection between their current academic experience and future enrollment at UCSB.
Admissions/VC continually supports the development of undergraduates through weekly check-ins, 10+ planned trainings, and community-building practices.
Of the 70 tour guides, 43% of GTA members further their professional portfolio and community network by becoming a Leadership Board member (serving as a GTA executive member), VC Intern (working as a desk attendant), or social media volunteer (running student-led videos on YouTube, Instagram, and more).
Given the nature of the Visitor Center, many UCSB tour guides transfer their professional skills to various fields and even find careers within Student Affairs. By working closely with students, Admissions strives to promote our institution to prospective students, while recruiting and preparing our undergraduate staff in the Visitor Center for post-graduate opportunities.
Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP), Student Health
Student Health Alcohol and Drug Program
Peers Leading The Way
Peer Health Education internships have been a foundation of the Student Health Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP) since its inception. This year's theme provided an opportunity to create an anonymous survey for current and past interns to learn:
What interested them in the internship? Did they learn skills that were helpful in their daily life?
We learned that most peers came to our internships because of personal, family or friend experiences with substance use, and they acquired public speaking, enhanced writing and interpersonal communications skills.
It was very gratifying to read these responses!
The ADP team has always focused on preparing these students to lead and to helping these wonderful young adults blossom as professionals. Many of our former interns have chosen health related fields, like medical studies, counseling and social work, even when this was not necessarily what they were pursuing at UCSB.
One of our peers took on the challenge of developing the overdose prevention program after losing a sibling to an opioid overdose. Her Fine Arts training assisted all of us in discovering our "stage presence" and inspired the "student voice" for these critical campus safety efforts. Some students did not initially present as leaders, and yet have shined in this unique role. Watching them grow and discover new paths is so gratifying.
By the Numbers
I believe what makes being an intern at ADP truly special is that everyone who gets hired has real passion for their position. It is very different from any other job on campus, and requires a very specific background for each branch under the ADP umbrella. Having a team of people who are motivated by more than just making money and building their resume has been incredibly impactful, and is truly the secret ingredient in what makes ADP so great.
Yes, I am able to speak much more confidently during presentations which was greatly influenced by my time in ADP. Because of my experience leading presentations and talking to the student body on a regular basis, I am able to transfer that skill both professionally and socially outside of school.
Working with ADP has changed my life. I have been able to do incredibly meaningful work that I feel is truly my life mission, and have had the most incredible support from the rest of the ADP faculty throughout my entire time here.
Associated Students
AS Prepares Student Staff
Transferable and Employable Skill Sets
The Department of Associated Students is committed to helping students uphold high academic standards and offering them leadership, employment, cultural, and growth opportunities to serve their campus community. As a Division of Student Affairs department, we value inclusion, compassion, dedication, and collaboration through our protocols and practices. Our priorities are strengthening administrative, community and academic partnerships to foster a safe, healthy, and supportive learning community. In compliance with university policies, protocols, and practices, we aim to advance access, equity, and inclusion. In our efforts, we aim to maximize the potential of students and staff to invest in the future (budget, technology, staff, and space). In this report, we focus on the student employees’ experience–and support them with career staff members in teams across the dept/campus.
Published in January, the ASTD Student Employee Handbook is a dedicated effort to build on prior handbooks. It is an initiative as part of the Student and Staff Strategic Plans to clarify AS Internal processes. It compiles a complete list of internal processes that may be confusing to students with little to no previous employment or AS involvement.
The ASTD Student Handbook plays a crucial role in providing the correct information, separate from peer to peer honoraria-earning elected and appointed student positions (governed by the AS Legal Code), transparent processes, and inclusive, experiential education.
This handbook has been prepared to help students understand what is expected of them as student employees. Their supervisors ensure student staff employees are aware of the particular expectations and evaluation for their Associated Students Unit during orientation through feedback throughout their time as student employees.
Utilizing this handbook has been implemented by AS HR in 2024 through a micro-learning process, further synthesizing and elaborating on each section weekly throughout the academic year. Each week, students learn the particulars and nuances of the handbook through micro-segments throughout their employment experience. Additionally, in each individual onboarding session, student staff employees are introduced to the handbook regarding its purpose, value, and resource to support their well-being, academic enrichment, and professional development.
Basic Needs
Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing Program
Ensuring Students Have Everything They Need to Thrive and Succeed
Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing student staff are continually being prepared for life post graduation. Through their internship programs they are not only learning valuable skills such as time management, communication and critical thinking but developing life skills that will ensure their success in their future endeavors. Internship programs within Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing allow for students to build on these transferable skills to lean on in their future professional development. Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing programs give space for specialized skills allowing students to become experts in their programs. Some programs that our student interns support include: Halal and Kosher Grocery Program, Housing Navigators, Basic Needs and Calfresh Advising, and Basic Needs Undergraduate Research.
Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing programs reach far and wide, aiming to ensure that student's basic needs are being met inclusive of housing, food, technology, wellness and beyond. Some of the newest pilot program efforts that have been launched in 2023-24 include Housewarming kits distribution, Security Deposit Award Program and the USS Meal Plan Scholarship Pilot Program. Ongoing efforts include but are not limited to Basic Needs and Calfresh advising at the Food Security and Basic Needs Advising Center, emergency funding support through the Financial Crisis Response Team, housing advising with the Housing Navigators program, and the Basic Needs Technology Program. Programs and services continue to expand as Basic Needs and Rapid Rehousing initiatives aim to serve students where they are.
Special Highlight
Through a key collaboration with Housing Dining and Auxiliary Enterprises, Undocumented Student Services and the Basic Needs team, we have been able to pilot the USS Meal Plan Scholarship Pilot Program in Spring 2024. This program has been able to provide 70 meal plan scholarships t0 undocumented students. Through this program students have been able to access 7 prepared meals per week at UCSB dining commons locations at no cost, improving food and financial security. Critical partnerships through this program have allowed us to address a critical gap for undocumented students at UCSB.
By the Numbers
"Thank you so much for your incredible kindness, generosity, and assistance during this very difficult time… [Non traditional students] are a unique sector of the student body population facing additional adversity and stress and I cannot tell you how
much I appreciate this. Myself and my family thank you!".
- FCRT Recipient
Office of Black Student Development
Black Scholars Reaching Beyond
Building Skills and Alumni Networks
The Office of Black Student Development’s (OBSD) undergraduate and graduate scholars continue to strive forward and graduate despite challenges both in and beyond the classroom. This year we continued to focus on providing holistic services supporting student retention, personal development, and post-graduation outcomes.
We continued to support OBSD scholars through our academic counseling, advocacy, programming, and recruitment and retention services. Our paramount aim remains the progression of every scholar’s holistic development arc, and ensuring their UCSB experience is fruitful. This includes ensuring that they achieve in the classroom and beyond, and attain quality post-graduation outcomes by fostering access to continued education, training, and quality career employment options.
Student Advocacy
We are excited about the structural progress developing through our Black Community Forums (BCF) and Black Resource Committee (BRC). These quarterly gatherings continue to center on scholars' voices to be acknowledged and activated for progressive change. This year's BCF series focused on embracing joy while working to ameliorate student impacts and putting their ideas for improvement into action via the BRC.
Scholarly Development
We provided diverse outlets for scholarly engagement and development. These included the revival of the Black Faculty, Staff, and Student Night, Faculty and Staff Luncheon series, and Student Leadership Retreat. We also continued to fortify the Vision Fellows research and creative activity program for undergraduates. This year, we are launching the Original Research and Creative Activities (ORCA) Journal that offers undergraduate and graduate scholars an opportunity to publish their research and creative work.
Post-Graduate Preparation
In February we delivered our third annual Black Alumni Student Connect in conjunction with the Alumni Association, Black Student Union and Career Services. The event brought together current OBSD scholars, alumni, and campus resources for networking and access to internships, full-time jobs, and career opportunities.
This year, was marked by the realization that OBSD scholars will continue to achieve despite structural challenges they face. OBSD remains committed to providing our scholars with viable academic pathways, networks, and development beyond the classroom to prepare them for worthwhile continued education and career opportunities.
Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education
Empowering Students to Prevent Violence
Training the Future Leaders of Public Health
CARE’s mission is to provide professionally designed services for the prevention and intervention of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking and harassment. Through policy development and community collaborations we are committed to survivor empowerment and a public health approach for prevention.
Consistent with best practice recommendations for health education, CARE embraces a proactive and evidence-based approach to the primary prevention of interpersonal violence (sexual violence, relationship violence, and stalking) through peer education initiatives. At the forefront of our efforts lies the recognition that peer prevention is pivotal in shifting attitudes, behaviors, and ultimately, creating a culture of consent and respect.
Peer education harnesses the power of student voices, positioning them as change agents within their own communities. By receiving extensive onboarding training on the public health model, CARE Peer Educators are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and empowerment necessary to engage their peers in open dialogue and skills-building on topics like consent, healthy relationships, bystander intervention, healthy masculinities, and other factors contributing to sexual violence. They accomplish this by facilitating trauma-informed survivor-centered workshops that don’t re-traumatize survivors or victim-blame and instead focus the root causes of interpersonal violence and stopping harm before it starts.
Peer Educators achievements consist of numerous initiatives, including educating campus organization leaders through #GauchoBack: Bystander Intervention and other sessions related to consent, healthy relationships, intersectionality, stalking, and more. During 2023 they educated over 800 students through 15 sessions of #GauchoBack and reached over 2,500 students through other requested programs and outreach events.
I was worried there would be awkward breakout sessions, so I really liked the group participation format. I've done lots of these trainings before but I felt this was really thought-provoking and presented complex situations.
"As a survivor myself, I would like to say that the conversation on consent was really well executed and personally helped me feel seen. Often times when consent is talked about, it's simply narrowed down to a "yes or no" conversation. I like that enthusiasm and the lack of coercion was discussed."
Campus Learning Assistance Services
Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders @ CLAS
Fostering a Culture of Growth for Students & Staff
I never thought I would be a math tutor but I am so glad that I was built up to who I am now, both socially and academically. It puts me in the position to uplift and inspire others. ~ Kayla Lujan
Kayla’s experience is powerful and mirrors many Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) users. CLAS continues cultivating these experiences with the newly created Curriculum Coordinator position, occupied by Lee DeAnda. He brings extensive teaching and leadership experience, while emphasizing the importance of a supportive learning environment. Understanding that students often struggle with self-assessment and self-doubt, CLAS promotes a growth mindset, encouraging students to believe in their potential for learning and leadership.
Lee makes people feel like they are not alone in their struggles because he starts the conversation that other people are afraid to have." ~ Helen Walton
The Curriculum Coordinator fosters community, focuses on student-centered teaching, and aligns tutor demographics with those of the students. This "tutor pipeline” transforms former students into tutors who serve as relatable mentors and role models, demonstrating leadership in action. This is further extended by the appointment of Emily Main, a former student tutor, as a career math instructor.
As a student tutor I spent a lot of time convinced that I wasn’t qualified and that students were going to see right through me. Lee helped me to realize that I didn't have to have all the answers, while giving me the tools I needed to develop into a better mentor and tutor. Now I’m in a position where I continue to grow, mentoring student tutors as well as students. ~ Emily Main
Support continues for career staff, showing a commitment to leadership development at all levels. By shifting the dialogue from student learning to professional growth, a culture of continuous improvement is fostered, exemplifying how leadership and learning are intertwined and ensuring that both students and staff are prepared to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Photo Credit: Vince Zaccone
By the Numbers
The learning models Lee has built in classroom environments have certainly helped shape our students into the next generations of leaders, but as Director I also see this as a valuable management tool for cultivating our staff in their professional aspirations for growth and development in their careers." ~ Jeff Landeck, CLAS Director
Career Services
Training the Trainers
Career Peer Advisor Training Increases Capacity
In the endeavor to nurture the next generation of leaders, Career Services has implemented a robust Career Peer Advisor Program designed to equip our students with essential career development skills. Through a comprehensive training regimen comprising Asynchronous, Live, Virtual, and On-Site sessions, Career Peer Advisors are empowered to guide their fellow Gauchos through the intricacies of the career development process.
The Career Peer Advisor training uses a multifaceted approach to ensure flexibility, interactivity, and hands-on learning experiences. The training curriculum emphasizes key aspects of career development, including options for exploration, gaining experience, securing employment, and exploring graduate school opportunities. Advisor onboarding covers critical areas such as effective presentations, communication, professionalism, teamwork, critical thinking, and technology utilization.
Since Fall 2023, we have witnessed a surge in student engagement, as evidenced by record numbers of appointment sessions with Career Peer Advisors (an increase of 34% compared to Fall 2022). Notably, students have sought guidance on various topics including appointment types ranging from resume/CV reviews to career direction, internship searches, and major exploration. Please see the comparison chart.
Working as a Career Peer Advisor cultivates a diverse set of transferable skills among students. Advisors gain proficiency in public speaking through workshops and small group settings, enabling them to communicate effectively with their peers. Additionally, they undergo specialized training to assist students during Career Fairs, facilitating networking opportunities and skill showcasing.
Peer retention within Career Services remains robust, with a focus on rehiring two to three Career Peer Advisors who demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and service excellence. This cyclical approach fosters a culture of mentorship and leadership, ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of the program.
The Career Peer Advisor program serves as a cornerstone in preparing the next generation of leaders. By offering comprehensive training, fostering student engagement, and promoting the acquisition of transferable skills, the program not only equips students with essential career development tools but also instills values of mentorship, leadership, and service. We remain committed to advancing the program's efficacy and impact, empowering students to thrive in their future endeavors.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Preparing Mental Health Informed Leaders
Mental Health Peers Gain Valuable Training and Experience
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) leads in service delivery with a focus on the department's mission - to support the student body in achieving academically, socially, and personally through culturally responsive mental health services. In a time with such turmoil and heightened levels of anxiety across all communities, CAPS continues to provide a safe space for many of our students to process, to gain skills, and to be the best version of themselves as they navigate their journey at UCSB and beyond. One specific example of this department's effort is through the Mental Health Peer Program. In addition to providing services to the campus at-large, CAPS also continues to develop student staff. Many of the students who work at CAPS have an interest in continuing their studies in fields related to wellbeing, physical and mental health, and community engagement. Through their experience in this job, they are able to access first-hand experience in these settings, providing support for fellow students who are struggling, learning and teaching how to navigate large systems (such as medical insurance and behavioral health), and gaining perspective in how to address mental health in culturally sensitive and identity-specific ways - informed by stakeholders in these communities. CAPS has had a peer program in some fashion since the 1970s. While the program has evolved, both in name and in function, the role that these students have played has been integral to the service delivery model at CAPS. In 2012, the program shifted and was renamed the Mental Health Peer Program - to more fully encompass the depth and breadth of the content and services they were provided (previously known as the Stress Management Peers).
Since 2012, 165 students have served as Mental Health Peers. Many of those students have gone off into the world, receiving advanced degrees in psychology, mental health, education, and medicine. Many others have gone into other fields/jobs with the ability to engage in interpersonal relationships that support their colleagues and friends with compassion and understanding, and they know that they can always come back to CAPS for professional and personal support through former supervisors.
During the 2023-24 school year, CAPS served ~14% of the student body via direct services. This does not include outreach, workshops, podcasts, or any Mental Health Peer Program events and services.
Counseling & Psychological Services continues to offer services to students in a hybrid model. This allows students to stay connected with their clinician even when they're unable to make it to the CAPS building - one less hurdle to accessing support.
Daily Nexus
The Next Generation of Journalists
How the Daily Nexus Provides a Learning Space for Aspiring Journalists
The Daily Nexus prides itself on simulating a professional newsroom, allowing aspiring journalists the opportunity to create journalistic pieces with guidance from their peers.
At the Daily Nexus’ core is accessibility. Because UC Santa Barbara does not have a Journalism major, we encourage anyone interested in writing to pursue working at the Nexus. The Daily Nexus is completely student-driven, thus allowing peer to peer help.
Once writers step through the door, we extensively train them for their interests. Whether that be someone who has never written a news article before, or someone who wants to switch from writing opinion to writing about arts and culture, as editors, we are there every step of the way, to give productive feedback. We also give our staff exposure to how a “real" newsroom operates. Additionally, we host internal workshops to further elevate the knowledge of our staff on a diverse range of topics such as diversity, equity and inclusion, layout and newswriting.
Each section is run by dedicated section editors. Their leadership guides writers and content creators to uphold the Daily Nexus’ level of professionalism. Also, whenever there is a leadership opportunity we first offer the opportunity internally, allowing growth within the newsroom.
As a newsroom, we understand the importance of the internet, specifically how social media influences readership. Through the leadership of the editor-in-chief, Pricila Flores and the team of digital editors, Melody Xu, Aidan Dobbins and Abby Wolf, the Daily Nexus’ presence on social media has grown exponentially. Melody’s leadership, responsiveness and expertise has led to a growth of followers and engagement on Instagram. Her eye for graphic design and responsiveness to the news team has reached 28,000 Instagram accounts from Dec. 7 to March 5. We are preparing our team for the new type of social media journalism.
Our determination to journalism won the Daily Nexus five awards at the National Associated Collegiate Press conference in San Diego for excellence in writing, photography and data driven journalism.
By the Numbers
Section Instagram accounts
@dailynexusartsweek: 166 followers
@dailynexusscitech: 25 followers
@dailynexusvideo: 60 followers
@dailynexusopinion: 64 followers
@dailynexusart: 110 followers
@nexustentialism: 2472 followers
@dailynexusphoto: 93 followers
@lavistadeucsb: 250 followers
@ucsbonthemenu: 532 followers
Dean of Students Office
Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders
Supporting our Students’ Free Speech & Civic Engagement
This year, the Dean of Students Office’s department objective to support our students with issues related to free speech and civic engagement became more salient than ever. There were two action areas where we worked to advance the campus’s efforts.
The Civic Engagement Scholars Program (CESP), fosters ideals of active citizenship among students, engaging the next generation of leaders on issues important to our campus and the surrounding communities of Isla Vista, Goleta, and Santa Barbara. Led by Dr. Katya Armistead and Dr. Viviana Marsano, this class exposes students to a variety of local and national leaders from many different fields, culminating with a 2 quarter long project where students are paired with community agencies to learn more about leadership development and deliberative discourse. As an end product of the year’s study, students develop and deliver workshops to the campus and local communities. Katya and Viviana received a $5000 VOICE (Valuing Open & Inclusive Conversation & Engagement) grant from the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement to support this work with their students.
Moreover, our Demonstration Response Team (DRT) was busy this year. DRT is a viewpoint-neutral team of staff members who attend campus protests and protest-adjacent events to assist students in understanding their rights and responsibilities in their own exercise of free speech. We also extended and expanded our collaborations with colleagues across campus, working in concert to make sure concerns are addressed and everyone's first amendment rights are respected. In early spring quarter, the DRT hosted a lunch to bring campus stakeholders together to share information and brainstorm the best ways to ensure individuals’ free speech rights and campus safety. Members of DRT from departments across the division and campus can be found at many protest and free-speech events on campus, supporting our students in their first-amendment rights to free speech and assembly, and providing information on campus policies and local, state, and federal laws.
Disabled Students Program
Strengthening Collaborations
Teaming Up to Foster Post-College Success Skills
Students with disabilities face significant challenges, including lower graduation rates and post-graduation underemployment, which can impact their quality of life and economic stability. Collaborations between the Disabled Students Program (DSP) and departments such as Career Services, Residential Life and Community Living, Campus Learning Assistance Service (CLAS), and California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) COMPASS Regenerative Medicine Research supports post-college transitions. These initiatives allowed for professional growth opportunities for students to engage as presenters and researchers.
DSP, Career Services, and the California Department of Vocational Rehabilitation presented “Navigating Disability Access: Academic and Workplace Accommodations,” where attendees gained clarity on topics such as accommodation types, documentation procedures, and legal frameworks. Survey results revealed a significant increase in attendees' understanding of documentation processes and support organizations.
DSP peers worked with Career Services to discuss networking strategies for neurodivergent individuals as part of a student panel during Career Services’ "Thriving Together: Networking Strategies for Neurodivergent UCSB Students and Alumni” workshop. Survey results of 23 attendees revealed a significant increase in attendees' understanding of Networking and Networking techniques.
DSP and CLAS shared study tips for neurodivergent and neurotypical students at an event hosted by Nacimiento Village Resident Assistants. The discussion covered group differences, learning strategies, and DSP Peers offered personal insights on effective study methods. Survey results from 34 attendees showed a significant increase in understanding of neurodiverse and neurotypical characteristics and effective learning strategies.
In partnership with Dr. Britney Pennington, DSP actively recruited and successfully supported students through the open, competitive, application process for the year 2023-2024. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has provided funding for the COMPASS Program, an immersive, 2-year internship program offering a unique blend of rigorous, hands-on research, mentorship, and practical training to develop the future workforce to make cell and gene therapies. COMPASS scholars participate in specialized workshops, seminars, and networking events, and they have the opportunity to expand their professional network, interact with industry leaders, and gain valuable insights into the many facets of regenerative medicine.
Students start the program in the beginning of their junior year. Areas of research include stem cell biology, cellular and tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy. The COMPASS program spans twenty-four (24) consecutive months during the student’s junior and senior years. Students gain lab experience, mentorship, trainee stipends, and financial support (up to 180K for DSP students over a two-year period) to ensure success post-college and in their long-term goals.
Learning about jobs with flexible schedules was particularly beneficial.
- Graduate Student (Navigating Disability Access workshop)
It was super helpful having other students in the same shoes share their perspectives and provide encouragement on feeling anxiety when networking. It was great that they had personal anecdotes and mini success stories too.
- Undergraduate student (Networking Strategies workshop)
I learned how to listen to my brain while studying.
– Undergraduate student (Neurodiverse study strategies workshop)
I learned how different people's brains were even though a lot of the people were neurodivergent too.
– Undergraduate student (Neurodiverse study strategies workshop)
Early Academic Outreach Program
EAOP Outreach Interns Making an Impact
Reaching Students from Elementary to Community College
Our goal is for our student employees to leave us with skills they can utilize in the field of their choice. These include public speaking skills, accountability, coordination and planning, attention to detail, teamwork, and the ability to work independently.
For over 15 years, EAOP’s Outreach Intern Team has been instrumental in assisting with the coordination and execution of large-scale events, annual accountability reporting, and coordination of EAOP-hosted campus tours.
Our campus tours run from two to up to six hours! Over the years, they have led the planning of hundreds of tours for thousands of students from elementary to community college. Each tour is customized to the group's needs. The team is responsible for communicating with teachers, counselors, principals, precollege staff, and, on occasion, district superintendents. At UCSB, they reach out to students, staff, faculty, researchers, and lab managers. They are also responsible for recruiting volunteers for all events.
The Education Leadership and Career Conference, Parent University Conference, UC Success Nights, and College Readiness Academies are EAOP’s largest-scale annual events. ELCC has been our biggest single-day event, with as many as 375 participants and 24 speakers. The parent conference was runner-up at 325 in 2023.
Without our intern team, the success of these events would not be possible. They prepare all the materials and recruit for and lead volunteer orientations. Most importantly, during all events, they can independently troubleshoot issues and make decisions.
Another aspect in which the team is critically important is assisting in completing our annual accountability report for the UC Office of the President. They are responsible for maintaining enrollment documentation for over 10,000 program participants and 1,500 EAOP cohort students at our partnership schools. They track over 2,500 services EAOP professional staff provides and match them up with the students who receive them. They are essential in creating monthly summary reports shared with the Program Director, school district leadership, and campus partners.
By the Numbers
Early Childhood Care & Education Services
So Much More Than Play at the Children’s Centers!
Teaching Assistants Develop Work and Life Skills
Many students have been drawn to working at the Centers after seeing groups of young children on their daily walks around campus. Is working at the Children’s Centers fun? Do students get to play with children? Yes, but there is so much more to the job!
The Early Childhood Care & Education Services employs 100-150 undergraduate student employees each quarter. The students work as teaching assistants (TA) in classrooms at two different sites. ECCES Teaching Assistants work with a diverse population of children and families, building relationships and communication skills along the way. In addition to learning clear, concise communication methods, TAs learn other important life and work skills that will carry them into a successful professional career beyond graduation. TAs work in a challenging environment and quickly learn how to prioritize tasks. Job skills such as professionalism, collaboration, versatility, and interacting with others in a respectful manner are all cultivated by the daily experiences working in the classrooms. Exceptional teaching assistants practice their leadership skills as Peer Mentors, helping new TAs navigate their first few days at the Centers.
Fostering children’s growth and development gives TAs insight into a career they might be interested in after graduation. The centers have employed many former TAs over the years. The UCSB Children’s Centers currently have two program coordinators, three teachers and the business officer who were former teaching assistants. Many TAs work at the Centers for several quarters, becoming part of a classroom team and developing a deep sense of caring for the teachers and children that they work with on a daily basis. Belonging to the ECCES family often alleviates the homesickness that some students feel living away from home. The staff of the Children’s Centers pride themselves in mentoring the student workers and are always so happy to watch TAs spread their wings as they graduate and go onto new adventures in life.
By the Numbers
I learned the importance of being flexible, staying positive, and being open to trying new things. I continue to believe in those things and my experience as a TA also helps me when I work with students because I can empathize with them and I can remember what it was like to be that age and the types of things a student goes through.
- Jenny Greaney, ECCES Program Coordinator (TA Spring 2002-Spring 2003)
Having worked in the classroom as a Teaching Assistant improves my perspective of the experience and needs of our current staff to be successful.
- Jesse Rosenzweig, ECCES Business Officer (TA Fall 1998-Spring 2001)
There are a lot of skills that transfer, even if you don’t end up working in a childcare setting! First, working with children requires you to be clear and concise. You have to break down your questions or instructions in ways that are easily understandable. I personally have found this to be extremely helpful in my current job because I work in healthcare/research, where effective communication is key.
- Reetu Joshi, Graduate (TA Fall 2019-March 2023)
My mentor teachers always made me feel a part of the teaching team and valued my ideas and contributions to the classroom. Being a TA opened the door to not only a teaching career in early childhood education, but it also facilitated my journey to become a school psychologist in training at the University of CA, Santa Barbara Gevirtz Graduate School of Education. Being a TA essentially laid the foundation for my understanding of children at an intellectual, social, and emotional level. Interpersonal skills, time management skills, confidence, independence, problem-solving skills, emotional regulation strategies, critical thinking, patience, adaptability, leadership, communication skills, collaboration, and empathy.
- Sierra Steinert, ECCES Teacher (TA Winter 2020-Winter 2022)
I value the time I worked for the children’s center as I had the opportunity to work with a diverse population of families and children and I learned so much about connecting with children and their families which is a huge part of my role as an elementary teacher.
- Vanessa Gonzales, Former ECCES Teacher (TA Fall 2013-Spring 2018)
Being a teaching assistant provided me with the opportunity to build my knowledge in the field of early childhood education. I got lots of experience working with a multitude of children and families and gained valuable experience that ultimately led me to the professional path of becoming a Preschool Teacher here at UCSB, of which I have spent the last 20 years growing and learning in the field.
- Michael Peterson, ECCES Lead Teacher (TA Spring 2003-Winter 2003)
Educational Opportunity Program
EOP Alumni Leaders
Nurturing a Network of Leaders Who Value Service, Community, and Collaboration.
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is a retention-based program dedicated to holistically supporting all students, with a focus on serving first-generation and income-eligible undergraduates. We offer an extensive range of student support services to help students navigate all aspects of their undergraduate experience through counseling and peer mentorship, cultural resource centers, AS/EOP grants, and year-round programming. We proudly provide a community and space that feels like a "home away from home" for many of our students. As we celebrate another year in our journey, we were honored to hear from EOP alumni from various generations. Now serving as dedicated and accomplished leaders in their respective communities, they shared how EOP shaped their lives during and after UCSB.
After several interviews, a transferable skill alumni shared they gained through EOP is teamwork and collaboration. EOP programming helped alumni experience the value and impact of working with diverse partners. These experiences also helped them identify and understand their own strengths while valuing the unique strengths, contributions, and intersecting identities of individuals within and beyond EOP. Additionally, alumni recognized how connections made within our department have opened doors to new insights, perspectives, opportunities, connections, and led to respective career paths rooted in social justice and service.
Alumni also described ways that EOP influenced their commitment to responsible leadership. Alumni underscored how EOP helped them learn the value of staying informed about political shifts on a local and global scale, understanding impacts on the communities they serve. This social and political awareness has empowered students and alumni to respond responsibly and equitably to challenges. One alum’s journey demonstrated how the systemic injustices they experienced were contrasted by the uplifting support they received through EOP. This inspired them to work as an EOP Peer Mentor and pursue a career in Educational Social Work. Another alum emphasized the reciprocal nature of service and leadership cultivated by EOP, highlighting the cycle of receiving support while giving back and supporting others.
By the Numbers
I think it's just really important to show people I do have trust in you, that you're going to be successful here, and that you can reach your full potential." - Marlene, EOP Alum and former EOP Peer Mentor, Class of 2023
We had this community of support that we were able to build for one another, for all of us together as a collective… being so strong in that and being so confident in that allowed me to step out and also learn from and support other communities that also may need me to show up. - Anthony, EOP Alum, Class of 2010
In my mind, the answer is that it takes a collaboration of professional staff, faculty, students…It was understanding that each of us had a valuable contribution… Understanding the true nature of collaboration and not only valuing your own skillset but valuing the skillset sets that others have around you…That in the end, when we put it all together, that is what led to the successful running of a program. - Ozzie, EOP Alum and former EOP Counselor & Pre-Enrollment Services Manager, Class of 1987
Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
Scholarships Support our Future Leaders
Improved Process for Undergraduate Resource Reporting
This year in 2023-2024 the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships rolled out a new online portal to replace our old process for Undergraduate Resource Reporting (UGRR). These undergraduate student awards, stipends, and scholarships originate from resources all over campus, and are tremendously beneficial to our students as they participate in research and other projects to prepare for their future.
Previously, campus departments had to email a signed form to our office for manual processing. Our new online portal offers exciting enhancements that benefit everyone by providing: improved tracking, communication, and of course speed of awards to our students!
We began in May 2023 with announcements to all business partners around campus regarding the development of the online portal and the need for departments to set up their electronic user access. In August 2023, we started rolling out the live access with user setup, and in September 2023, fully launched the portal with users being able to submit disbursement requests.
To this date we have successfully received and processed 2,707 unique student awards totaling $4,025,245 for the 2023-2024 school year through the new portal. Financial Aid Information Systems team who worked tirelessly along with our Fiscal Operations Unit to develop the new online UGRR portal. Now campus departments are ensured greater accuracy with selecting the correct student, selecting only account strings that are pre-assigned to their specific award, they have an automated approving mechanism for their control point, and have total visibility for the status of their submission, receiving confirmation once the award has been processed. No more wondering about the status of students’ awards, and no more emailing back and forth because of confusing mistakes on the paper forms. With 267 campus users and over 900 unique award types now set up in the portal, we are well on our way to a streamlined method for delivering these well-deserved undergraduate resources to our students - assisting them in becoming the next generation of leaders.
By the Numbers
Grants & Development
Empowering Student Success: A Year of Philanthropic Impact
Generosity and Transformation Through Scholarships, Leadership, and Research
Philanthropy has significantly advanced our mission of equipping students with the tools for success beyond campus boundaries. Generous contributions from our donors have enabled us to provide vital scholarships, bolster career development initiatives, and foster a vibrant community committed to positive change. Together, we illustrate the transformative power of philanthropy in empowering students to reach their full potential and effect lasting societal change.
Esteemed alumni Barry and Jackie Posner (class of 1970) continue their invaluable support for the Student Life and Leadership Endowment (SLLE). Through their generosity, students have gained access to remarkable opportunities, ensuring a trajectory toward lifelong success. The utilization of SLLE funds throughout the academic year has not only supported but celebrated and recognized leadership across campus, fostering engagement through diverse activities and programs.
The establishment of the Gene and Susan Lucas Undergraduate Research Fund stands as a testament to the commitment to first-generation undergraduates. Named in honor of Executive Vice Chancellor Gene Lucas, this scholarship provides financial backing for research projects, offering students hands-on experience in STEM fields, thus enriching their academic journey and preparing them for future endeavors.
Grants & Development played a pivotal role in securing a $10,000 grant from the Fund for Santa Barbara, facilitating five student internships through Undocumented Student Services. This funding has provided undocumented students with invaluable professional skills and experiences, positioning them for success post-graduation.
In collaboration with Campus Sustainability, our efforts have sought funding to enhance basic needs resources and sustainability endeavors on campus. Through various grant proposals, we have created avenues for student development and leadership, including internships, research opportunities, and volunteer initiatives, thus fostering a culture of engagement and stewardship.
Furthermore, a significant milestone was achieved with the confirmation of a $100,000 grant from an anonymous Foundation to support scholarships for international and undocumented students pursuing STEM disciplines at UCSB. This substantial contribution will enable multiple deserving recipients to receive scholarships of up to $5,000 each, opening doors to academic excellence and opportunity.
Health & Wellness
Promoting a Future of Wellness
The Health Promotion Efforts of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Health & Wellness is always growing and adapting to find new ways to serve our students, and this year was no exception. Initiatives such as land acknowledgment guidance have instilled a deeper understanding and respect for indigenous heritage, setting a tone of mindfulness and responsibility from the outset. One of our specialized training sessions, called the Body Project program, allows our students to learn healthy ways to talk about body image and spread that message to their peers. We also offer ServSafe food training to our Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills (FNBS) team, allowing them to serve free culturally-relevant foods to students on campus, giving some respite to the stressful academic lifestyle. These programs underscore our commitment to developing well-rounded leaders who are equipped to tackle challenges with empathy, knowledge, and integrity.
In a time where adaptability and digital fluency are key to success, we've leveraged our Health & Wellness internship program as a platform for skill acquisition. Through intern-led projects, especially within our technology team, students have gained firsthand experience in data analysis, digital content creation, website development, and the management of technological resources. Presentations and health promotion initiatives on campus have further provided our team with public speaking and engagement opportunities, honing their abilities to communicate effectively and lead with confidence. These experiences leave our students equipped with a versatile skill set that goes beyond their academics and prepares them for diverse career paths.
Acknowledging the rigorous demands of academic life, we've introduced and refined several initiatives aimed at promoting a healthy work-life balance among our student body. From mindfulness meditation sessions to making vision boards promoting positive psychology, our programs are designed to support students in achieving a harmonious balance between their studies, personal well-being, and extracurricular engagements.
This year has been marked by enriching collaborations with entities beyond the UCSB campus, enhancing our wellness programs and providing students with broader perspectives and experiences. From meditation retreats facilitated by external experts to engaging with local businesses like IV Print Shop, these partnerships have offered our students unique opportunities to apply their skills in real-world settings. These collaborations help to strengthen our network of wellbeing support, emphasizing the importance of community in personal and professional development.
Office of International Students and Scholars
Mentorship and Policy Understanding
Empowering International Students as Forward-Thinking Leaders
The Office of International Student and Scholars (OISS) proudly serves 4,426 international students and scholars from 103 countries. Our staff provides immigration advising, campus-wide advocacy and inclusion efforts, employment support and cultural programming. In the ever-evolving landscape of education and immigration, OISS strives to empower students to become forward-thinking leaders who can navigate the countless complexities of being far from home with resilience and creativity. Achieving this requires a culturally-sensitive, multifaceted approach involving mentorship, student-initiated programs, and equipping them with the tools needed to manage their immigration status.
Mentorship plays a pivotal role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. In 2023, OISS centered our cultural programming on student-led initiatives to truly meet students “where they are”. This approach involves empowering students to initiate programs while providing mentorship around event planning, finances, marketing and program assessments. Through this process students developed leadership skills while also contributing to a peer-driven support system where students actively contribute to each other's growth.
Student-initiated programs go beyond traditional extracurricular activities, giving students the autonomy to identify and address issues and interests relevant to their communities. Whether it is organizing campus events such as “International Students Day”, cultural celebrations such as the “Persian Yalda Night, Black Tie Party'', or language exchanges and community excursions to the zoo, these student-led programs foster collaboration and a proactive mindset. These experiences give students the opportunity to prepare for the challenges they will face in the future.
Navigating immigration policies is a significant challenge for many UCSB students. Empowering them with the tools to manage their own immigration status not only provides practical solutions but also instills a sense of self-sufficiency and accountability. Understanding immigration policies is a transferable skill that goes beyond personal circumstances. It develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills applicable to a wide range of complex policies students may encounter in their professional or personal lives. Equipping UCSB’s international students with the skills and mindset needed to excel in an ever-changing world, ensures they become resilient, adaptable leaders capable of making a positive impact on the world both locally and globally.
By the Numbers
MultiCultural Center
Developing Leaders and Potential
The Impact of MCC Student Teams
At the MultiCultural Center (MCC), our 2023-2024 student team is composed of 37 student staff and interns, reflecting a diverse group of student leaders. Within this dynamic team, specialized roles cater to various aspects of the MCC's operations, encompassing office management, programming, A/V tech support, marketing, student engagement, and communications. These student teams work symbiotically with the career staff to uphold the MCC's mission of serving the campus community.
At the heart of the MCC's operations are its student teams, whose impact is present and felt throughout the center. From organizing the weekly Spiritual Care Club Series to curating diverse events like film screenings, lectures, and community markets, our student staff play pivotal roles in shaping the MCC's vibrant intersectional justice programming and community events calendar. These responsibilities not only enrich their skill sets but also foster personal growth and empowerment.
Beyond programming, the MCC thrives through the diligent efforts of its student teams such as Office Assistants, Marketing Assistants, and MCC Council Co-Chairs, among others. These roles are instrumental in managing day-to-day operations, facilitating space bookings, developing social media campaigns, supporting over 50 affiliated student organizations, and providing technical support during events. Each task is undertaken with a focus on enhancing student engagement and ensuring a welcoming environment for all.
Throughout their time at the MCC, our student teams are provided with a holistic developmental experience encompassing academic, professional, and personal growth. By nurturing transferable skills and instilling core values, the MCC equips its student leaders for success beyond UCSB, empowering them to pursue their career aspirations with confidence and transferable skill sets.
The MCC stands as a beacon of student leadership, where individuals are not only empowered to make a difference but also nurtured to realize their full potential. Through their collective efforts, these student leaders embody the spirit of community care through their contributions in their respective roles that enrich the MCC, UCSB, and beyond
By the Numbers
My experience at the MCC has sharpened my interpersonal skills and exposed me to a multitude of events where I was able to broaden my understanding of various cultures, social movements, and issues.
– Undergraduate Student, MCC Student Team Member
Non-Traditional Student Resource Center
Lift While You Climb
Non-Traditional Students Acquire Skills by Advocating for Each Other
The Non-Traditional Student Resource Center (NTSRC) provides support and programs to students from diverse backgrounds and life situations, including students who have children, have transferred or re-entered, or who took time off before going to college. The Center’s services and events are carried out primarily by student staff members, many of whom are non-traditional students themselves. These staff members draw from their own experiences to design programs and support services that will be relevant and useful to their peers.
In order to effectively advocate for other non-traditional students, our staff members have to stay current and informed of a variety of campus and community resources. National data show that parenting students – one population we serve – have higher grades than non-parenting students, but are less likely to graduate, more likely to be food and housing insecure, and end up incurring more debt while in college. Accordingly, our student staff members have become adept at connecting their peers with resources such as the AS food bank, childcare grants, academic advising, and priority registration. This year we collaborated with Basic Needs staff to provide office hours with rapid rehousing advocates. We have also stayed current on new Title IX protections for pregnant students so that we can advise students on how to seek accommodations. Helping students navigate the variety of resources and support systems on campus is critical to supporting their continued enrollment and their progress toward their degrees.
Our student staff members also draw from their own interests and their own networks to design and promote events for Non-Traditional Students. Some of the popular events we have held this year include our family-friendly movie nights, our field trip to the UCSB REEF, and our spring quarter “Slime Night.” Because our staff members are typically part of the communities that we serve, they are able to effectively provide services for others while building skills, connections, and knowledge that ensures their own success.
Photo taken by student staff member Richard Shim
By the Numbers
Orientation Programs & Parent Services
From Student Employee to University Representative
Orientation Skills for Current & Future Career Goals
A key aspect of Orientation Program’s mission is the professional and personal development of our undergraduate student staff. Applicants take part in a comprehensive four-step selection process, after which a formal feedback & goal-setting meeting is provided to every hired staffer. Orientation student staff then complete over 100 hours of training before they begin full-time summer work as student advisors and University representatives to incoming students and their families.
Our training and job responsibilities increase confidence and provide students with hands-on experience in public speaking, academic advising, and disseminating information to diverse populations. They work successfully with individuals from a range of backgrounds and experiences, and resolve conflicts in a productive and empathetic manner. Orientation staff alumni have gone on to successful careers all over the world and on the UCSB campus. Employers frequently comment on the skills staffers acquire from working with our department and bring to their careers.
By the Numbers
I have developed more confidence in the fact that I am more dependable, more approachable, and more respectful. I plan to use these in my life by being more confident when addressing a room and leading activities. - (2022 Orientation Staffer, Exit Survey response)
I feel much stronger in my abilities to command and lead a group when we need to present important information….I’m actually utilizing a lot of the skills I picked up (such as the being able to take charge of a group) at my other job…I also feel immeasurably more confident in my abilities to connect with people on individual and group levels, and be able to provide them with better insight and guidance based on what I learn from observations and direct conversation. - (2022 Orientation Staffer, Exit Survey response)
I know I can give a solid presentation in front of a wide range of people. No matter the situation, I know I can talk to people and try to ease their worries or make them less stressed. Before [Orientation], I was hesitant to ask for help, but now I know that it doesn’t make me any less capable and it’s good to ask for help even if it is a simple clarifying question. - (2022 Orientation Staffer, Exit Survey response)
Department of Recreation
Building Foundations for Future Leaders
Student Development: A Key Principle of UCSB Recreation
With over 500 positions, the UCSB Department of Recreation employs one the largest student staffs on campus. Under the direct mentorship of career staff, the department provides its student employees and interns with opportunities to plan, manage risk, and troubleshoot accidents and errors in a fast-paced environment with professional expectations, for which they are provided extensive training. Student employees acquire foundational professional, technical, and interpersonal skills that bring their goals into action.
Recreation offers student staff positions and development programs that are broad to very narrow in scope, and our employees can grow into new skills and roles as they recognize their strengths and interests. The department offers specific training to match student ambitions. Lifeguard, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), or Fitness Instruction, Refereeing, and Outdoor Guiding represent only a few of our certification offerings. Recreation’s Athletic Training & Athletic Performance Center interns receive hands-on clinical experience working with competitive athletes alongside licensed Athletic Trainers and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coaches. Beyond training in core skills, student employees are encouraged to become leaders among their peers. Recreation’s Student Managers and Supervisors are expected to run staff training, lead independently in their areas, and carry out important projects or operations with little supervision. Students nurture their leadership skills in a positive and safe environment as they execute crucial functions of the department.
Our student staff have reported their top skills gained working for Recreation include planning, organizing, prioritizing, making decisions, problem solving, verbal communication, working in a team structure, and influencing others. Other skills noted include public speaking, leadership, time management, professionalism, collaboration, and flexibility.
UCSB Recreation serves as a stepping stone into professional habits and a ladder to opportunities for many students in their post-college careers. Students from the Marketing Team have gone on to work for top ad agencies. Events Staff have landed careers in professional sports. Adventure Programs become professional outdoor guides. Camp Counselors’ experiences leading kids at Summer Day Camp lead to careers in education. In fact, one in four of our current Professional Staff started in the department as student employees and returned to campus as Recreation professionals.
Overall, UCSB Recreation prides itself on developing the next generation of leaders. Through training, mentorship, and fast-paced hands-on learning, we enhance their experience on campus and prepare them to make the most of their post-college opportunities.
By the Numbers
Office of the Registrar
Higher Education’s Future Leaders
Transferable Skills Springboard Students into Careers at Local Universities
The Office of the Registrar employs students to assist with front-line student services, data entry, and document imaging. Two of our former student assistants, Lucy Vasquez (BS and BA, 2022) and Luz Estrada (BA, 2021), inspired by their time working in our office, now have full-time careers in higher education. Lucy Vasquez is the Undergraduate Advisor for the Philosophy & Linguistics departments at UC Santa Barbara, and Luz Estrada is the Parking and Operations Administrative Coordinator at California State University, Long Beach. We interviewed Lucy and Luz to gain insight into how their time working in our office shaped their lives and careers since graduation.
Before working in the Office of the Registrar, neither Lucy nor Luz had considered a career working in higher education. While they had visited many offices on campus for assistance as a student, it was their time working in the Registrar that sparked the idea of pursuing a career at a university. Lucy said, "When I started looking for job opportunities after graduation, having that kind of knowledge of, oh, there are other aspects of these fields that I was not aware of, it definitely broadened my applicability. I wouldn't even have thought of this as something I could apply to."
Both Lucy and Luz reported the most transferable skill they learned while working in our office was how to help students in high-stress situations. Luz said, "You never know what’s going to walk in the front door. I learned how to keep my composure and how to put the person first." This was a skill they both picked up by watching the full-time staff interact with students who came into the office with sensitive, stressful, and complex problems.
Working as a student assistant in the Office of the Registrar provides UCSB students with an opportunity to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work of the university and to learn about career opportunities within higher education.
By the Numbers
Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Identity
Tomorrow's LGBTQIA+ Advocates
RCSGD Mentorship and Volunteer Program Forges Pathways for Emerging Leaders
This academic year, the Resource Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity (RCSGD) focused on strengthening its main functions to better serve the LGBTQIA+ campus community. Beginning with student engagement and development initiatives, after careful assessment and reviewing of student feedback on the Volunteer and Mentorship programs during Summer 2023, the RCSGD merged both programs for the 2023-2024 academic year.
The merged Volunteer & Mentorship Program supports the leadership and individual development of 14-16 volunteers who are assigned LGBTQIA+ mentors, typically staff, faculty, or graduate students. The program was separated into three different parts. Fall quarter focused on recruitment, mentor and mentee trust building, and training on RCSGD operations. Winter quarter concentrated on academic skill-building in areas like study methods and utilizing on-campus resources. The year culminated with Spring quarter delving into professional skill-building such as resume development and work-life balance discussions.
The goals for this newly designed program is to see expanded knowledge of well-being and academic skills, increased confidence through identity development discussions with trusted mentors, and greater awareness and sense of empowerment for the volunteer cohort to pursue new opportunities and create positive change on campus at the end of the year.
Points of Pride
In November 2023, the RCSGD launched their new revamped website! Check it out at rcsgd.sa.ucsb.edu
By the Numbers
The RCSGD has been a great opportunity to come out of my shell and connect with other queer students on campus--I've never done this much public speaking and work with others before, and frankly, I love it. The RCSGD has given me a great gift of connecting with my community and listening to what others need from our campus as a whole. I know how to bring everything to light now!"
- Third year CCS writing and literature & film and media studies double major
The RCSGD has enhanced my leadership skills by giving me the opportunity to facilitate meetings, collaborate with other students, and lead projects that align with my interests and identities.
- 4th year political science major
Student Academic Support Services
Supporting Future Higher Education Professionals
NUFP Alumni Share the Impact of their Participation
UC Santa Barbara's Division of Student Affairs entered a partnership with Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises colleagues to support the development of leaders in Higher Education Student Affairs. Launched in 2008, the campus-based National Association of Student Personnel Administrator (NASPA) Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP) was created at UCSB. Each year, participants engage in a weekly seminar, meet with a mentor, participate in a research-related project, attend a national and/or regional NASPA conference and participate in activities to explore the Higher Education Student Affairs profession and graduate school preparation.
Entering our 16th cohort year, UC Santa Barbara's campus-based program is a model for higher education institutions nationwide. Our NUFP mentors have collectively mentored approximately 168 aspiring higher education professionals. Our NUFP student alumni (and many of our mentors too!) enroll(ed) in graduate programs all over the United States and serve higher education institutions and programs nationally, and internationally. To share the impact of the program, we interviewed a member of the first cohort. Sarah Blair-Medeiros is also an alumna of The University of Vermont, M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration and currently serving as Associate Director for UC Davis Women's Resources & Research Center.
An Interview with Sara Blair-Medeiros
I applied to be a NUFP because I had incredible mentors in UCSB's housing department that were NUFPs or had been affiliated with the program at their previous institutions. The mission and values of the NUFP program spoke to me; as a student passionate about supporting my fellow students, it felt right to pursue a career in student affairs. I really wanted to follow in the footsteps of those mentors that had/were providing me with the tools and resources to succeed and grow as a human.
The program overall demystified the graduate school experience and graduate application process through opportunities to connect with faculty/staff from universities across the nation through the Undergraduate Scholar Pre-Conference at NASPA Annual Conference, Dungy Leadership Institute (formally Student Leadership Institute), Summer Internships, and campus mentorship. My mentor Dr. Lupe Navarro-Garcia provided support in understanding what the graduate school application process looked like for me and provided tips and tricks as I prepared for the GRE. I felt so grounded when I applied to graduate programs and was blessed to get accepted to all five programs I applied to.
NUFP was the launch pad for my career. It introduced me to incredible people that I could see myself in. Each of these folks challenged me to be the best version of myself and to think outside the box. NUFP gave me a cohort of humans looking to change the world of student affairs/higher education and I still stay connected with many of them to this day. It opened the door for me to attend the University of Vermont (UVM) where I also did my NUFP Summer Internship – UVM is where I met the mentor that hired me for my first position out of graduate school – NUFP prepared me for The Placement Exchange (TPE) so when the time came for me to look for a position in California, I had the confidence and experience to navigate TPE without feeling overwhelmed – TPE was where I found my second position out of graduate school and how I ended up at UC Davis. NUFP is the reason I am where I am.
I am an active NASPA Member and have continued to present at and attend NASPA conferences. I have also served on the UC Davis NUFP Planning Committee for the past 7 years. I was also honored to be one of the recipients of the 2022 NASPA Western Regional NUFP Champion Award for Region VI.
Office of Student Conduct
Student-Faculty Committee on Student Conduct
Where Students Have Equal Say
The Office of Student Conduct (OSC) engages with students beyond those directly involved in a conduct process. One of the ways in which OSC prepares Gauchos for life beyond UCSB is by providing students the opportunity to participate on the Student-Faculty Committee on Student Conduct (SFCC). SFCC is the hearing board comprised of faculty and students who review case materials to make a determination of responsibility. SFCC members are carefully selected by OSC staff following a recommendation, application review, and interview. Upon selection, students voluntarily set aside time to serve on SFCC.
A unique aspect of the SFCC student member role is that they possess an equal voice to their faculty counterparts. Student members have expressed appreciation for this space as it is one of the few, if not only, opportunities they have in which their voice is equal to faculty during their college experience. SFCC student participants are granted a unique opportunity to develop a greater understanding of OSC’s role on campus and within the community. SFCC members also play a role in ensuring a fair process for students whose cases are being presented before SFCC. The manner in which students are able to engage with OSC through their service on SFCC provides a way for them to help maintain the integrity of a college degree.
Many students join SFCC in hopes of obtaining experience of learning and upholding campus policies, which has aided many student members who have pursued law school after graduation. One student member shared that their experience serving on SFCC has “been invaluable to [their] future career” noting the opportunity has “allowed [them] to grow [their] critical thinking and analytical skills.” OSC also serves as a resource for both current and former SFCC student members who need letters of recommendation for future educational and employment opportunities after earning their degree. It is OSC’s hope that students will always have these types of opportunities to engage directly with the work University staff are conducting, as they play such a vital role in maintaining the integrity of a degree from UCSB.
35% of SFCC time was spent hearing behavioral cases, with 14% spent hearing academic misconduct cases, and 1% spent attending required training.
Student Engagement and Leadership
Forging Leadership: SEAL's Commitment to Student Development
SEAL’s Approach to Emerging, Continuing, and Future Leaders
Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) remains a champion for leadership development and understands the critical role of co-curricular involvement for our students. As one of our main pillars, Leadership is embedded throughout our programming as we support students from registered campus organizations (RCO), fraternity and sorority life, and emerging leaders.
This year, the department launched the inaugural Waves of Change: Leadership Challenge cohort. Our students, ranging from freshman to graduate students, are taken through a series of workshops focusing on each of the five practices of leadership: Model The Way, Inspire A Shared Vision, Enable Others to Act, Challenge The Process, and Encourage The Heart (Kouzes & Posner, 2018). This program cultivates essential transferable skills, including strong communication and teamwork from interactive workshops and collaborative activities. Weekly seminars and reflective assignments enhance critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Their Ripple Effect Roadmap presentations provide a platform to showcase what they have learned, highlighting their public speaking skills. The Student Leadership Practice Inventory consultation further demonstrates their leadership capabilities and commitment to personal growth.
Each year, SEAL hosts the Student Leadership Retreat, with this year’s theme, Leadership Unveiled, focusing on empowering RCO leaders to explore and express their unique leadership styles while understanding the profound impact of identity and community on their leadership journey. Students attended workshops where they learned how to create inclusive teams, overcoming the imposter phenomenon, and how to navigate conflict amongst their members. Additionally, over 60 fraternity and sorority leaders participate annually in an overnight leadership institute where they gain practical, hands-on experience in navigating crucial conversations, critically examining community deficiencies, and learning to be change agents on campus. Emphasizing sustainable skill development and growth, this institute equips leaders to strategically build a more equitable system. Relationship building is infused with transferable skill development, aiding leaders on campus and beyond.
In our office, we also hire 11 students as RCO peer advisors to foster leadership development. They help UCSB students, especially RCO leaders, engage with SEAL's resources. Our interns lead a series honing skills in collaboration, research, and public speaking, with workshops on recruitment, overcoming burnout, and securing funding. Additionally, SEAL supports Student Initiated Outreach Programs (SIOP), training RCO leaders in program proposals, budgeting, presentation coordination, and logistics. These experiences equip student leaders with valuable skills that will prove beneficial both during and after their UCSB experience
during his visit as part of the joint SEAL collaboration with EOP, ONDAS, and Career Services
for National First-Generation College Day.
By the Numbers
Student Health Service
Nurturing Growth at UCSB
Supporting Students' Health and Leadership Journeys
A nearly universal response when we queried Student Health staff about their favorite things about working at UCSB is, “the students”. It is an honor to watch, and potentially shape, their growth, leadership skills, and success.
This year's Annual Report theme focused on our role in shaping future leaders. Beyond our primary mission of supporting students' physical and mental health, we recognize the importance of nurturing the potential we see in our student staff members. Leadership is cultivated through experience, opportunity, and guidance, and we are proud to highlight two exceptional student staff members who exemplify these qualities while making valuable contributions to Student Health Service.
One such story is that of Andrew, a second-year Computer Engineering major who started off as a Physics Major. After some pivotal experiences, he decided to switch majors, which led to being hired at Student Health Service and the opportunity to strengthen his leadership skills. Andrew quickly became a key contributor to our Information Technology team. His enthusiasm, collaboration, and technical expertise added value to our website and patient portal with fresh, student-centered improvements. When he learned that we were implementing an Artificial Intelligence chatbot, Andrew immediately stepped up, eager to contribute his skills to this innovative project. This proactive approach is a hallmark of effective leadership—being curious, taking initiative and embracing challenges. Early in his time with us, Andrew expressed a goal that resonates deeply with the principles of leadership: to leave Student Health in a better place than when he arrived. This vision of making a lasting impact is what leadership is all about—ensuring that the contributions made today will benefit others in the future.
Another inspiring leader at Student Health is Kelly, a UCSB undergraduate who also worked part-time as a Medical Assistant in our clinic. Kelly’s aspirations are rooted in her desire to make a difference in healthcare. She plans to attend a Physician Associate training program after graduating from UCSB, though she is still exploring which area of medicine she will ultimately pursue. Leadership isn’t just about knowing where you’re headed—it’s about embracing continuous learning and personal growth, which Kelly is bravely doing. In her role as an Medical Assistant, she has developed a wide range of skills, but she places the highest value on the lessons learned about effective communication. Observing and practicing strong communication skills has helped Kelly understand that leadership in healthcare is not just about clinical expertise; it’s about connecting with others, showing empathy, and fostering collaboration.
Our work at Student Health extends beyond these individual stories and the many other ways we support students from administering vaccines and addressing acute medical concerns to providing mental health services, and offering physical therapy. We are not only committed to supporting students' well-being but also to fostering leadership, resilience, and growth. Through mentorship, guidance, and creating opportunities for development, we strive to make a lasting impact on the students we serve. Whether through transformative stories like those of Andrew and Kelly or through everyday interactions, our goal is to empower students to lead with confidence and purpose.
By the Numbers
Student Mental Health Coordination Services
Expanding the Campus Safety Net
Training Future Leaders How to Maintain a Healthy and Caring Campus
Student Mental Health Coordination Services (SMHCS) provides outreach and support to students experiencing distress for a variety of concerns including mental health, academic, financial, cultural, interpersonal and more. SMHCS is a critical part of the campus safety net that prioritizes supporting student’s wellbeing and the safety of the campus community.
The SMHCS team employs a three-pronged approach to supporting students in distress that includes 1). direct support services, 2). collaboration with campus partners, and 3). training/workshops. The training provided by SMHCS helps to educate the campus community about resources and support for students in distress. The goal is to ensure students do not fall through the cracks on their path to academic success. Over the years, SMHCS has partnered with offices such as Education Opportunity Program (EOP), Residential and Community Living (R&CL), and the Peer Educators Network (PEN) to offer training to staff and student staff who are often the frontline support for students in need of help. Training for these groups enhances the campus response to students in distress and increases understanding of the system of support at UCSB.
The primary training that SMHCS provides is “Responding to Distressed and Distressing Students”, which teaches participants how to recognize signs of personal distress, how to respond appropriately, and how to successfully refer a distressed individual to support services. SMHCS offers this training by departmental request including to Teaching Assistants, academic advising staff, and faculty in an effort to improve the academic safety net of the university.
This past year, SMHCS has built on its standard distressed student training to develop “Case Management 102”. This advanced training offers professional staff an opportunity to practice managing more complex situations where students need multiple supports to navigate their time at UCSB. Case Management 102 helps staff better understand the critical work that SMHCS Case Managers do with the goal of campus safety when there are concerns of threats or violence towards others. In the coming year, SMHCS will offer this and other training opportunities more widely to faculty, academic departments, and staff who want to improve their ability to recognize and refer students in distress.
It was interesting to discuss certain specific case scenarios. It was also helpful to know how best to connect students with SMHCS, and also some of what the student experience is like when interfacing with SMHCS.
I appreciate the context provided. Helps me understand why decisions and approaches are made.
Learning more about what the different mental health offices are able to provide or specialize in, and how they function.
Student Sustainability Initiatives
Testing New Ideas Together
Solving Sustainability Challenges through Student Leadership and Partnerships
The Campus Sustainability Department provides over 80 students each year with internships designed to tackle real world environmental challenges. Students work closely with professional staff across multiple departments on campus as well as off campus practitioners to identify projects and understand the needs of our community. Students develop potential solutions and explore those ideas through feasibility assessments and cost benefit analyses. Our students learn project management, stakeholder engagement and vetting, critical evaluation, professionalism, public speaking, and more. In the past year, our students have identified and helped us to apply for grants to support sustainability efforts; developed proposals to expand secure bike parking on campus; evaluated survey data to better understand trends in transportation choices on campus, developed carpool matching programs, launched outreach campaigns to take back the tap - raising awareness of the high quality of local tap water, engaged students in critical conversations about healthy and sustainable food options, increased engagement in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, and more!
Our department also manages several ongoing programs which support our on and off campus communities. This includes the Edible Campus Program (ECP), our sustainability consulting programs (PACES and LabRATS), the Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship Program, and the Healthy Campus Network. The Edible Campus Program (ECP) provides ongoing student staff support to six community gardens, three on campus, and three in Isla Vista. We also provide volunteer support to several other gardens.
Through ECP we engaged over 1,500 people including 550 volunteers in the past fiscal year. Our sustainability consulting programs use the model of a green business certification program to certify events, sports and athletic teams, research laboratories, and departments on campus. Through these programs we are able to highlight ways that each person on campus can be a leader in addressing sustainability issues. The Bonnie Reiss Climate Action Fellowship Program provides opportunities for six students each year to tackle emerging climate challenges. Healthy Campus Network works to make UC the healthiest place to live, work, and learn for students, staff, and faculty.
By the Numbers
Undocumented Student Services
Identifying Life-After-College Options
Undocumented Students Navigate Graduate School and Entrepreneurship
Undocumented students often face significant challenges when it comes to pursuing traditional career paths due to the legal restrictions that come with not having access to employment authorization. Despite these challenges, they have created their own pathways to navigate life after college. This year, Undocumented Students Services (USS) designed opportunities to expose students to graduate school and entrepreneurship as options for life after graduation.
A graduate education can allow undocumented students to advance their academic and professional goals. We provided two program offerings to encourage and support students. UndocuGrad Exploration exposed undergraduate students to the application process and funding navigation strategies for masters, doctoral, and some professional degrees. UndocuGrad Prep was a one-year program with workshops and one-on-one meetings that guided seniors through the graduate school application process. Both programs were spearheaded and mindfully designed by USS Graduate Interns for USS students.
Entrepreneurship is a non-traditional avenue that allows undocumented immigrants to combine their skills, talents, and passions to create their own income-generating opportunities. We collaborated with off-campus experts to expose and guide students with this path. Through our UndocuThriving Series, we brought guest speakers that shared their journey to entrepreneurship after graduating from college. One speaker taught students about the steps they took to grow their clothing line; the other described how they created their own photography business as an undergrad at UCSB. Additionally, we collaborated with "UndocuProfessionals" to provide 6 entrepreneurship workshops and 35 one-on-one consultations via the USS Entrepreneurship Program.
When asked how they would benefit from this, a student shared:
I believe I would greatly benefit from this program because I have no knowledge of what life after college is for someone with no work authorization. I want to be able to have some guidance as to what opportunities I do have. Given that this program is designed for students with my background, I will not be afraid to ask for help... My future is something that is very important to me, so I know that by taking part in a program like this, it will guide me towards the right direction.
Although the road ahead may present challenges, USS will remain committed to helping undocumented students grow and thrive, regardless of their immigration status.
By the Numbers
Veterans and Military Services
VAMS Supporting Future Leaders Today
Vital Mobility Transport Program Launched with SFAC Support
After a successful micro pilot mobility transport program developed for members of the Military-related community that took place in the 2022-2023 school year, Veterans and Military Services (VAMS) began a fully operational two-year pilot program serving all students on campus in the Fall of 2024.
Seeing the need for the program, Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) provided over $200,000 in initial funding that provided for the purchase of 4 electric carts including; one wheelchair equipped cart, two four-passenger carts and one six-passenger cart and to update an unused wheelchair equipped van previously owned by UCSB’s Transportation Services.
Student Affairs leadership also acknowledged the need for a mobility transport program and provided the funding for a program manager and student drivers. The program provides services to students with both temporary and permanent disabilities and serves both undergrad and graduate students. Trained drivers use electric carts to pick up students at their residence, or a parking lot for commuting students, and take them to their classrooms. After their class, students are taken to their next class, or a place to study until their next class, and then back to their residences or parking location.
The program has grown from actively serving four students at the beginning of Fall quarter to 37 students toward the end of Spring quarter with 59 total students supported during the entire year. The program employs approximately 12 student drivers each quarter. Rides have increased substantially as well going from an average of 52 rides per week in Fall quarter to 238 per week in Winter quarter to an average of 437 toward the end of Spring quarter. This is an increase of 457% from Fall to Winter and 840% from Fall to Spring.
The mission of the program is to enable students to attend class, engage in activities and access campus facilities without hindrance, promoting accessibility to campus resources for all.
Women, Gender & Sexual Equity
The Feminist Multiverse of UCSB
Improving Student Outreach through Coalition Building
Through strategic coalitions with various departments and organizations, the UCSB Women's Center significantly increased student outreach and distribution of resources in the 2023-2024 school year.
Some of our most successful events this year involved collaborations that included skills sharing, team building, and student engagement. For example, Blind Date with a Book, now a highly anticipated annual event, was co-hosted with Associated Students' Environmental Justice Alliance and Associated Students' Black Women's Health Collaborative which brought out over 50 students. Additionally, our continued sponsorship of the Womxn in STEM Mentorship Program organized by Womxn in Science and Engineering amassed 279 undergraduate and graduate participants! We are also proud to have been able to partner with the Center for Feminist Futures during their inaugural year- expanding further the Feminist Multiverse of UCSB. By providing support via our Feminist Book Club, we were able to spread the message about their invitation of Stonewall Riot veteran Miss Major onto campus.
Integral to the mission of our center is approaching all of our work with a feminist perspective. Feminist principles guide our coalition building to address diverse experiences, distribute power equitably, foster solidarity, and sustain long-term relationships to advance gender equality and social justice. By partnering with academic departments, fellow student affairs units, and student organizations, we have been able to reach a broader and more diverse audience, offering support, advocacy, resources, and education to more students across campus. The implementation of feminist values of collaboration has led us to doubling almost all of our programming attendance as well as average daily visitors to our space! Join the Feminist Multiverse!
By the Numbers