A message to new and returning Anteaters
Welcome to a new year!
As the 2018–2019 Academic Year approaches, the campus is abuzz with activity and preparations. For both new and returning Anteaters, the Fall is a particularly exciting time offering the chance to try something new, or delve deeper into an interest you already have.
Many UCI students have the interest and intense desire to not only receive a top-notch education, but to make sure they contribute to the world in a meaningful way both on campus and beyond.
The Blum Center offers such opportunities, as do many other units and groups on campus. Below is a list of a few ways to get involved, and links to learn more.
Explore interdisciplinary courses
Your classroom education is important, and there are ways you can make it extra meaningful. If you’re looking for classroom material that connects to poverty and empathy, we have few courses listed below. This list is by no means exhaustive; if there’s a class that should be added, let us know!
Psy Beh 125 — The Science & Practice of Compassion
This new course will be offered for the first time in Winter 2019. Designed to explore empathy and compassion from a scientific perspective, Psy Beh 125 will be entirely online and open to all UC undergraduates. The course is also a prerequisite to applying to the Global Service Scholars program.
PP&D 115 — Global Poverty & Inequality in the 21st Century
The flagship Blum Center course, PP&D 115 is offered entirely online and is open to all UC undergraduates. The course is team-taught by professors and instructors from throughout the UC system, broadening the experience and expertise that is available to you as a course participant. Next offered in Spring 2019.
Launch your idea
For students with ideas big or small, there are ways to get support and funding. Depending on the scope and type of idea, you may want to check out:
Small Change, Better World — smallest scope and shortest timeframe
SCBW is open to students (undergraduate and graduate) at UC Irvine and UC Merced. Designed to fund a one-time, small-scale need, the program offers up to $3,000. Past funded projects have included a school supply program in Orange County, CA; a projector and microwave for a community center in Ayacucho, Peru; diagnostic equipment for a mobile medical clinic operating in Tijuana, Mexico; and an art program in Pittsburg, PA. Fall proposals due November 25, 2018.
Big Ideas — for innovations addressing a social need
Based at UC Berkeley, Big Ideas is an annual contest open to teams of undergraduates from all UC campuses. It provides funding, support, and mentorship for ideas in 9 categories including food systems, global health, and workforce education. Pre-proposals due November 14, 2018.
NVC Social Enterprise Track — for sustainable business ventures
The Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship offers the annual New Venture Competition designed to support teams of UCI students. The Social Enterprise Track is a specialized route for ventures that include a focus on social impact and society. Workshops start November 14, 2018.
Get outside the classroom
While classroom education is an important foundation to your university experience, getting outside of the classroom offers hands-on learning and teaching opportunities. This list is certainly not exhaustive, but offers a few ways to get started:
Global Service Scholars — service and empathy abroad
The Global Service Scholars is a 3-quarter program offering undergraduates the opportunity to study compassion and participate in service abroad. Once selected, students complete specially designed coursework before participating in immersive service experiences at sites including Paraguay and Nepal. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in Psy Beh 125 in Winter 2019. Application for the 2019 GSS cohort opens January 2019.
InSight Magazine — making poverty visible and knowledge actionable
InSight Magazine is a student-led media project incubated within the Blum Center. The student team seeks to make poverty visible and knowledge actionable through compelling narratives and visuals. Students are invited to submit written or visual content addressing topics such as student poverty, incarceration, homelessness and human trafficking.
Want to learn more about any of the above opportunities? Visit the Blum Center’s table at the Anteater Involvement Fair on Monday, September 24!
