When the UC Irvine Economics Learning Center launched in 2014, it did so in response to growing enrollment in undergraduate classes and an increasing number of students choosing one of the Department of Economics’ three popular majors. Through peer-assisted and cooperative learning, the more than 8,500 students who’ve visited the center have received individualized attention and help tackling topics from introductory terms to advanced core concepts. Ten years in, the center is thriving with data showing the ELC to be a place where students not only learn, but also build community, says founding director Brian Jenkins, UCI economics associate professor of teaching.

A space for community and support

“The ELC is a resource for economics students who are looking for assistance outside of class or instructor or TA office hours,” he says. “It’s a place where students can get help while also meeting other students, working together and building community.”

Jenkins recently compiled his reflections on directing the center and its overall student impact in a forthcoming article in The American Economist. Check it out here.

Economics professors Linda Cohen and Ami Glazer (now emeriti), driven by a shared vision, worked together to establish the ELC, successfully lobbying for the support, resources, and physical space needed to make it a reality. Now open Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., the ELC is staffed at all times by two trained undergraduate peer assistants. And - new this year - from 4:00-7:00 p.m., students can also get help remotely via Zoom. (For security purposes, the Zoom room invite must be shared by an economics professor or obtained by emailing Jenkins directly. For students visiting in-person, a valid student ID must be presented and will be scanned).

Meet the mentors

ELC mentors – selected via a competitive application process each spring – undergo training by Jenkins on best practices for collaborative learning and student engagement.

“As part of the training, new ELC staff practice breaking economics problems into simple parts and directing questions back to students,” says Jenkins. “Staff are encouraged to treat students looking for help with compassion and respect, but also to uphold a standard of professionalism to ensure that the ELC reflects positively on the Department of Economics and the School of Social Sciences.”

This quarter, the center’s 17 mentors have fluency in six languages – English, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Japanese, Hindi and Korean – and represent some of the department’s best academic students, says Jenkins.

James Moore is a fourth-year business economics undergraduate who is returning for his second year on staff at the ELC. “I’m passionate about helping others,” he says. “Throughout my time at UCI, I've gone through highs and lows with economics classes and so I can relate to areas where some of these students may be struggling.”

Giving back through the Economics Learning Center has been an enriching experience, he says, as it allows him to apply his own knowledge to help students backfill knowledge gaps.

“Being able to facilitate an environment where students can work through economics questions alone or with the help of my guidance has been awesome,” he says of the experience.

How to connect

The ELC plans to host/co-host two events this year for undergrads. Stay tuned for further details.

Meantime, you can learn more about the ELC online, or visit in-person in Social Science Tower, Room 165, M-F, 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

And be sure to follow the ELC on Instagram for updates on events and study sessions.