In late August, 25 students from Santa Ana Valley High School had the unique opportunity to visit the UC Irvine campus to explore majors and undergraduate resources within the School of Social Sciences. As part of the quarterly Choosing a Major Conference (CMC) series—an initiative spearheaded by UCI’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP) and their Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP)—the event offered a comprehensive look into UCI’s largest academic unit, which houses some of the most popular undergraduate majors on campus.

 “The School of Social Sciences is vast, offering a wide array of majors and programs,” says Jeanett Castellanos, UCI social sciences associate dean of instruction and curriculum. “Providing an early glimpse into these options is key to helping students envision their academic and professional futures.”

The day kicked off with a warm welcome and introduction about possibilities within social sciences from Castellanos who also shared her experience as both an Anteater alumna and first-generation student.

“It is critical to remind students that they’re not alone and they could one day be standing in my shoes,” she says.

The students had the opportunity to hear short presentations from school faculty including Héctor Tobar, Chicano/Latino studies and English professor, and Gregory Scontras, language science associate professor, covering topics on race and ethnicity and how the mind represents language. Staff members from the Social Sciences Academic Resource Center, UC PRIME Pre-Health Pathways Program, SOAR, Campus Organizations and Volunteer Programs and EAOP shared vital resources available to help students succeed at UCI.

"Programs like this are essential because they provide students with a first-hand look at the academic and personal support systems that will be available to them in college,” says Kristen Ahn, social sciences undergraduate leadership and community director. “By introducing them to these resources early on, we're helping them build the confidence and knowledge needed to successfully navigate their transition into higher education."

The day concluded with a student panel, where current Anteaters shared their experiences and insights about navigating college life and choosing a major. The session provided an open forum for high school students to ask questions and gain real-world perspective on their potential academic journeys.

“Pathways must be created for students to thrive in education,” says Castellanos. “College knowledge programs like these expose first-generation students to the possibilities a college education presents.”

About the Choosing a Major conference series:
The Center for Educational Partnerships, through a grant awarded by the Orange County Department of Education, created the K-16 Career Pathways Program to focus on streamlining systems and best practices to support students transitioning at each step from K-12 to post-secondary education and into the workforce within the education, business, engineering and health pathways. The K-16 Career Pathways Program is part of a statewide strategy for strengthening education-to-workforce pathways ensuring that education, vocational, and workforce programs work in partnership to address the income, racial, and gender inequalities in education and employment. The Choosing a Major Conference is a collaboration between the Early Academic Outreach Program and the K-16 Career Pathways Program. Conference attendees are EAOP students who will continue to receive services in college preparation and major/career exploration post the event.