SOAR Retention SIP Excellence Grant Additional Information
Assistant Director
Hannah Jones
jones.hannah@uci.edu
Retention Coordinators
Brenda G. Cabrera
bgramire@uci.edu
Fatuma Ramudzi
framudzi@uci.edu
Silvia Navarro Hernandez
synavarr@uci.edu
What is an underserved/underrepresented (U/U) student?
Underserved: students who are typically, low-income, first generation, and underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities that do not receive equitable resources as other students in the academic pipeline.
Underrepresented: students who are disproportionately lower in number of attending or graduating from college.
Examples of U/U students include: First generation, low income, English learners, members of the LGBTQ+ community, undocumented students, DREAMERS, students of color, post-traditional learners, etc.
What are the 5 areas of Retention as defined by the SOAR Center?
- Academic success: addresses the needs students may have to progress through their bachelor’s degree, and potentially prepare for graduate school.
- Financial wellness: any effort that addresses the need students may have in financial matters such as FAFSA applications, financial literacy, or how to pay back loans.
- Mental health: anything that may be impacting student mental wellness. In many cases students may feel anxiety or distress which can be addressed through counseling or community building activities.
- Belonging and Engagement: this addresses the need for community as people deal with imposter syndrome and finding a sense of stability in an institution that may not recognize one’s identity(s).
- Skill and Leadership Development: works towards the skills students may need to promote their growth as leaders and/or career development past their time at UCI.