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    UC Irvine Graduate Student Ambassadors 

    Graduate Ambassadors are available to share their experiences as a student at UC Irvine and answer your questions.  Through these interactions, the Graduate Ambassadors will help you gain a more informed perspective about the non-academic aspects of attending UC Irvine as a graduate student.  Furthermore, this program is intended to help empower you to apply to UC Irvine and see that you can thrive here.

    After reviewing our Graduate Ambassadors' profiles, please click "Connect with a Graduate Ambassador" and fill out the form. We will do our best to match you with your preferred Graduate Ambassador. 

    Example of questions you may want to ask a Graduate Ambassador:

    • What is housing like near campus?
    • How easy is it to get around on public transport?
    • What is the nightlife/social life like?
    • What are the sports facilities and activities like?
    • Why did you choose UC Irvine?
    • How accessible is the faculty?
    • What do you like most about studying at UC Irvine?

    The Graduate Ambassadors can speak directly about their experiences at UC Irvine.  If you have questions about admissions or the application process, please contact us here.

    Connect with a Graduate Ambassador 

    Viviana Alvarez-Rodriguez

    Hometown: Fontana, CA  

    Undergraduate Institution: California State University, San Bernardino

    Department and year in program: History, 2nd year

    Viviana Alvarez-Rodriguez is a first-generation PhD student from the Inland Empire in Southern California. She completed her undergraduate studies at California State University, San Bernardino where she earned a B.A in history. Her current research looks at urbanization and multi-racial activism in twentieth century Veracruz, Mexico. Viviana is pursuing a doctoral degree with the goal of becoming a professor at a public Hispanic-Serving Institution.  

    Jennifer Barajas

    Hometown: Henderson, NV 

    Undergraduate institution: Nevada State University  

    Department and year in program:  Psychological Science Department, 4th year

    As a first-generation student who migrated to the U.S. at a young age and had to transition to a different language, societal norms, and way of life, I always felt inferior to other students regarding my academic performance. Now, as a 4th-year Ph.D. student in Psychological Science, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP) fellow, and futura doctora, I am confident that my life experiences have shaped the person I am today. Outside of my research program—specifically studying occupational injustices and their contributions to health disparities in Latino populations—I enjoy pilates, swimming in the ocean, trying new foods, and exploring the beautiful landscapes Southern California has to offer. 

    Reinaldo Cabrera Perez

    Hometown: Havana, Cuba

    Undergraduate institution: University of Florida

    Department and year in program: School of Education, 2nd year

    ¡Hola! I’m Reinaldo Cabrera Pérez, a first-generation Ph.D. student at the University of California, Irvine, in the School of Education. I completed a dual Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Russian Studies, and earned a Russian-English Translations Certificate from the University of Florida. My research focuses on bilingualism and language development, specifically the effects of early bilingual experiences on cognitive and linguistic outcomes. Outside of academics, I enjoy hiking, dancing salsa, and exploring new cuisines. These activities help me stay balanced and connect with diverse cultures. I’m eager to connect with prospective UCI graduate students to share my experiences and perspectives, and to offer insights into navigating graduate studies and research at UC Irvine.  

    Josh Kim

    Hometown: Seoul, South Korea 

    Undergraduate Institution: Vassar College

    Department and Year in Program: Informatics, 3rd year

    My name is Seungjun Kim and I go by Josh! I am a 3rd year Informatics PhD student conducting research on the joint use of AI and music to address mental health challenges that young adults are facing nowadays. I am advised by Dr. Sean Young who is an expert in developing interventions for drug abuse or/and HIV patients. If anyone has questions about my department and advisor, please do not hesitate to reach out to me! I love outdoor activities and sports including tennis, surfing, and hiking. I appreciate living in Irvine as the city provides the perfect weather and environment for enjoying my hobbies. I also worked as a research data engineer for 2 years before coming into my PhD program and so for those who are currently working and maybe considering going to grad school from there, hearing about my experiences may be valuable! Please ask me questions on that front if you have any!

    Allison Morehouse

    Hometown: Newport Beach, CA

    Undergraduate Institution:  UC Berkeley

    Department and year in program:  Cognitive Science, 3rd Year 

    Allison is a current 3rd year PhD student in Cognitive Science with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is studying how sleep consolidates and processes emotional memories and spatial navigation. Aside from research, Allison enjoys going to the beach, reading, hiking, camping, trying new food, inspiring young minds to study neuroscience, and meeting new people. Allison is very happy she chose UCI because of the abundance of learning opportunities and the guidance of an incredible and supportive advisor. However, she found the process of applying to graduate school really challenging. She felt that there were limited online resources detailing the requirements/steps, what graduate school entailed, the differences between programs, and where to locate this information if it was available. This inspired Allison to join the Graduate Student Ambassador Program, where she hopes to alleviate confusion and help fill gaps in knowledge for prospective students. 

    Olti Myrtaj

    Hometown: Chesapeake, VA

    Undergraduate Institution: Virginia Tech

    Department and year in program: Physics and Astronomy, 4th year

    I am a PhD candidate at UC Irvine working on galaxy formation. I use simulations to explore the structure and origins of our Milky Way galaxy. Outside of research, I enjoy playing the piano, swimming, and trying new restaurants with my friends. My academic journey started off when I was young. My family moved from Albania when I was two years old after my dad won a green card lottery. They did not have access to education after high school when they were my age and this has taught me to help and provide useful mentorship to the next generation of students. On my journey to graduate school, the mentorship aspect of my education has made a big difference in my overall experience. I've learned that empowering young minds to pursue meaningful education, especially in graduate school, can strengthen our society. 

    Connect with a Graduate Ambassador 

    Upcoming Events

    The UC Irvine Graduate Division will present on the many graduate opportunities available at UC Irvine, and provide information about the application process and funding opportunities.
    DateTitleLocationRSVP
    10/30/2024UC Irvine Graduate Division Graduate Programs Information Session - In-PersonGraduate and Postdoctoral Scholar Resource Centerhttps://apply.grad.uci.edu/register/?id=a6e0f54f-25b8-4a31-84e6-fc3843f30cf8
    10/30/2024UC Irvine Graduate Division Graduate Programs Information Session - VirtualVirtualhttps://apply.grad.uci.edu/register/?id=a6e0f54f-25b8-4a31-84e6-fc3843f30cf8
    Meet with UC Irvine Graduate Division at your local graduate and professional school fair or national conference. Preview our travel schedule below.
    DateTitleLocation
    10/16/2024USC Graduate School FairUniversity of Southern California
    10/19/2024California Forum for Diversity in Graduate EducationUniversity of California - Riverside
    10/29/2024UCI Graduate and Professional School FairUniversity of California - Irvine
    10/31/2024SACNASPhoenix Convention Center
    11/09/2024Mellon Mays Graduate School Fair UCLA/Whittier CollegeWhittier College
    11/13/2024ABRCMSDavid L. Lawrence Convention Center
    You can also meet with one of our school representatives! See the schedule below:
    DateTimeProgram NameName of EventLocationRegistration Link
    11/20/202410am-noon PTPhysics and Astronomy Doctoral ProgramPhysics and Astronomy Department Graduate Program Open HouseVirtual (zoom).https://sites.uci.edu/physastrogradrecruit
    11/19/202412 pm - 1 pmSchool of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical SciencesUC Irvine SPPS Information Session for Masters & Doctoral Programshttps://uci.zoom.us/s/96160968632#successhttps://uci.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIscemhqDMsGdZBjhTSYkPNQK7U4EVAlGAg
    11/06/202410:00 amDunlop School of Biological SciencesUndergraduate Recruiting Efforts-School of Biological SchencesZoomn/a
    11/07/20241:30-2:30pmPhD in ManagementPhD in Management Virtual Recruiting Information SessionVirtualhttps://uci.zoom.us/j/93667673849
    11/06/20241:00-2:00PM PTMEPN (Master's Entry Program in Nursing)Fall 2024 UC Irvine MEPN Application Information SessionZoomhttps://nursing.uci.edu/admissions/mepn-admissions/
    10/09/202411amPhD in Nursing SciencePhD Fall Information SessionZoomhttps://ucihealth.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pf-irpzsiG9eUCCyQnI246VJ_3NPIMv9P
    11/18/20241:00-2:00PM PTMEPN (Master's Entry Program in Nursing)Fall 2024 UC Irvine MEPN Application Information SessionZoomhttps://nursing.uci.edu/admissions/mepn-admissions/
    10/18/20242-3pmDoctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)DNP Fall Virtual Q&A Panel #1Zoomhttps://ucihealth.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpd-msrDoqGNT1Hg8eiFrmNE_UIIpC8fbZ

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