This July, the UC Irvine School of Social Sciences Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP) opened its doors to its 31st cohort. The five-week, intensive program provides students with a curriculum of research methods and design, professionalism, and guidance for applying to graduate school. But the program goes beyond academics; it instills a strong sense of social justice and community service that participants carry forward into their careers. By engaging directly with community issues, students develop a deeper understanding of social justice challenges and learn how to apply their academic skills to drive change.

Academic ambitions

One of this year’s participants is senior Maribel Santana Alvarez, a Chicano/Latino studies and Spanish double major. Her interest in SAEP stems from her ambition to pursue a Ph.D.

Alvarez was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 10. After graduating from high school, she worked full-time to help support her family. Alvarez also became a mother and devoted much of her time to raising her four children.

“I always liked school, but because of my circumstances, wasn’t able to continue,” she says.

Alvarez is a transfer student who was admitted to UCI after years of working in the restaurant industry. To attend classes, she commutes two hours each way from the Inland Empire. In addition to being a full-time student and mother, she works three days a week as a “completion coach” at her former community college.

When Alvarez returned to school to obtain her college degree, she first thought she’d become a teacher. But after attending UCI, she was inspired to take her studies even further.

“When I began studying social science and learning about social change, I realized I wanted to contribute meaningfully to this field. I know I can help and inspire others with my personal story. And the best way for me to make a difference is to become a professor and mentor other students,” she says.

After she graduates in June, Alvarez plans to apply to Ph.D. programs in ethnic studies or in social sciences with an emphasis in Chicano/Latino studies. Her current research focuses on how mental health content on social media is perceived in the Latino community.

Long Bui, SAEP director and UCI associate professor of global and international studies, has noticed Alvarez’s hard work and commitment to empowering others.

“Recognizing that higher education must serve non-traditional students like her, Maribel has leveraged SAEP toward goals that support the non-visible in higher education,” Bui says.

From SAEP participants to influential educators

Bui, himself, can be held up as SAEP’s own success story. He’s not only a first-generation Anteater (’04 political science and Asian American studies), but before he obtained his Ph.D. and was hired as a member of the UCI faculty, he was also a SAEP participant.

Reflecting on his own time within the program, Bui says, “I soaked up valuable lessons from mentors Dr. Caesar Sereseres and Dr. Jeanett Castellanos about the vital importance of giving back to your community and service.”

Blanca Rincón, associate professor of educational psychology and higher education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is also a first-generation Anteater (’09 sociology) and SAEP alumnus. It was through SAEP that she first understood what graduate school entailed. This summer, she returned to speak to the program’s cohort about her educational journey.

“I came back to share my experiences with SAEP-ers to demystify some of the hidden curriculum in graduate education and to motivate them to pursue their graduate aspirations. There is still so much work to be done to racially diversify graduate education and the professoriate,” Rincón says.

Reflecting on her time in the program, Rincón emphasizes the impact that the supportive community and mentorship at SAEP had on her larger journey.

“Being surrounded by like-minded students was incredibly powerful. On top of that, you were surrounded by faculty and staff, many of them faculty of color, who saw you, saw your potential and invested their time and care to cultivate that potential. It was life changing for me, and I will forever be grateful to that community,” she says.

Leadership and learning

Another student making strides in this year’s cohort is senior James Paredes, a quadruple major in political science, business economics, social ecology, and criminology, law and society. Paredes was drawn to SAEP’s commitment to supporting first-generation students, like himself, who are striving to excel academically and professionally.

“As someone passionate about social justice and aspiring to graduate school and a career as a college professor and social scientist, the program’s focus on fostering a community of dedicated scholars really resonated with me,” he says.

Paredes was born in the San Fernando Valley but spent the first few years of his life in Mexico before returning to California. He attended Grover Cleveland Charter High School in Reseda where he graduated as valedictorian. Paredes hopes that SAEP will provide him with a solid foundation for pursuing a Ph.D.

“James is using SAEP to take his existing leadership skills to the next level. He’s learning to merge research and ideas taught in the program with public speaking,” says Bui.

One of Paredes' most impactful experiences in the program has been his one-on-one sessions with his SAEP advisor, Alex Piña, a UCI Ph.D. student in global and international studies.

“Her openness and advice on navigating graduate school has been genuinely meaningful. These conversations have not only broadened my understanding but strengthened my motivation to pursue a career in higher education,” Paredes says.

“Resistance in itself”

By integrating academic training with an emphasis on social justice and community service, SAEP not only prepares students for graduate education, but also equips them to become leaders and advocates for change.

“The environment that Dr. Long Bui and the entire SAEP community have cultivated has opened my eyes to a network of first-generation students who are not only passionate about research and graduate studies but are also committed to making a tangible impact in their communities,” Paredes says.

The influence of the program is evident in the leadership roles and community projects undertaken by its alumni.

“I have seen former participants take on more public leadership roles on and off campus. One student created a program for undergrads to teach and mentor incarcerated men. Another created a program to help students with disabilities,” Bui says. 

SAEP’s emphasis on leadership and empowerment ensures that its impact extends beyond the five-week program, as participants carry the values and skills they have acquired into their lives and careers.

“We're the first ones in our family to go to college and graduate school,” Alvarez says. “It’s inspiring that the faculty take their time to help us get where we want to be. Their commitment is resistance in itself.”

Please click here for more information about UCI School of Social Sciences Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP).

-Jill Kato for UCI School of Social Sciences
-pictured: SAEP 2024 cohort and staff. Maribel Santana Alvarez, James Paredes.