From efforts aimed at turning out the vote to alleviating housing and food insecurity among their constituents, UCI’s School of Social Sciences ASUCI senators started the school year at a full sprint. As the school’s official undergraduate student government representatives, the senators serve as student advocates who meet regularly with campus and school leadership to enhance the quality of student life at UCI. Below, the energetic team of can-doers took a moment to tell us more about themselves and their plans for their one-year term serving the students of UCI social sciences.

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Michelle Truong
Fourth-year political science major and international studies minor

Hometown: Orange, CA
ASUCI goals for the year: I am hoping to work on making ASUCI and social sciences resources most accessible and known to students! There are so many opportunities to get involved and grow so I hope to work on student engagement, hence my position as part of the ASUCI Senate's Public Info Committee. For social sciences, I hope to work on making sure classes are accessible for students.
Plans after graduation: I will be part of the next cohort of the 4+1 Master’s in Philosophy, Political Science, and Economics (M.A. in PPE). I was accepted this past summer and will spend an extra year after graduation here at UCI to complete it. 
Something fun: I am a huge fan of matcha anything and have an Instagram account dedicating to trying coffeeshops. 

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Briana Solis
Third-year political science major

Hometown: San Diego, CA
ASUCI goals for the year: I hope to give students an avenue to voice what concerns they have about the place of higher education they attend and pay copious amounts of money for. I want them to have the best experience and be able to help them make the most out of their time here at UCI. I think students should have their financial, educational, housing, and all other relevant needs met to set them up for success.
Plans after graduation: After graduation I hope to attend law school. 
Favorite place to eat on campus: Bento Sushi

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Lauren Melvin
Third-year political science and business economics double major

Hometown: Thousand Oaks, California
ASUCI goals for the year: My biggest focus right now is getting students on campus to participate in the midterms in November. I have done a lot of work surrounding voter registration efforts for this current election cycle and as the election gets closer, I will be working on making sure students actually go and vote! An initiative that I am interested in beginning after the election cycle ends revolve asynchronous election days in our calendar so students can have the opportunity to vote. 
Key dates readers should mark on their calendars: Nov. 8th is election day! November 7th my office for the External Vice President is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Night mixer. March 10-12th UC Student Association is hosting the Student Lobby Conference in Sacramento and everyone is encouraged to apply! 
Office hours: My senate office hours are Wednesdays at 10am-11am. My EVP office hours are 12pm-1pm. 
Plans after graduation: After graduating, I want to go into policy work in the government or doing government affairs for a company. I am also interested in going back to school and getting my master’s in public policy. 
Something fun: In my free time at home, I love to tuft rugs!

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Hunter MacKenzie
Fourth-year political science major and sociology minor

Hometown: San Diego, CA
ASUCI goals for the year: I hold two positions in ASUCI: Social Sciences Senator and Basic Needs Coordinator for the Office of the External Vice President. For the Senate position, I hope to assist in holding elected officials accountable within ASUCI. There has been an overstretch of power at times that has directly compromised and asked too much largely from the unpaid intern body of ASUCI, which is unacceptable. I also hope to combine my platform as a Social Science Senator with that of my Basic Needs coordinator position in order to address and create tangible solutions for housing and food insecurity among our student population. Currently I am working with the Student Housing Organization to devise a plan to make the ACC lease application and renewal process both easier and transparent, so that students are not left to look for new housing days before their lease expires. 
Plans after graduation: I am planning to continue the work I am doing with my Basic Needs position but perhaps on a larger scale. I will likely continue my studies in graduate school while working for select nongovernmental organizations that attempt to address the ongoing socioeconomic crisis in this country. 
Favorite song: Touch by Daft Punk because it’s really just a love letter to music as a whole.
Favorite place to eat on campus: Anteatery; whenever I get the chance to go there, I do not hesitate to take it. I have a lot of nostalgia there for my freshman year that was cut short by COVID, so it's always an experience to go there.

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The Senate meets regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the UCI Student Center, Balboa B. All meetings are open to the public and every student is strongly encouraged to attend. To learn more about ASUCI, visit https://asuci.uci.edu/representatives/school-of-social-sciences/