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UCLA’s Vice-Provost’s Initiative for Pre-College Scholars (VIP Scholars or VIPS) Program was established in 2005 in collaboration with key stakeholders at UCLA in response to the declining number of underrepresented students admitted to and enrolled at competitive four-year universities. VIPS is a partnership between UCLA and the Los Angeles and Pasadena school districts that prepares historically underrepresented students in 11 high schools to become competitively eligible for admission to UCLA and other flagship universities, and to encourage pursuit of graduate and professional education using a social justice framework and holistic approach.
Students are selected to participate in 10th grade and attend two consecutive summer programs. Rising juniors participate in a three-week residential summer program at UCLA where students participate in a rigorous UCLA undergraduate writing course while receiving one-on-one college advising and mentoring, leadership and social advocacy training, and participating in culturally relevant workshops. The following summer, students attend a five-week residential summer program and take two UCLA undergraduate courses while gaining exposure to college life at UCLA.
During the academic year, students participate in academic mentoring and quarterly Saturday Academies with a parent/guardian.
Each VIP Scholar who completes the entire program and attends UCLA for their undergraduate career is awarded a scholarship worth $5,000 each year for four years, totaling $20,000.
Other VIPS components include Day One and KINGS Summer which provide academic mentoring and support to young men of color starting in the 9th grade. Additionally, the VIPS College Retention Program continues to engage our college students at UCLA and other universities across the nation.
VIPS Schools
Los Angeles Unified School District
Alexander Hamilton Senior High School
Crenshaw High School
Fairfax High School
King/Drew Medical Magnet
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES)
Rancho-Dominguez Preparatory School
Susan Miller Dorsey High School
Westchester Enriched Science Magnets
Pasadena Unified School District
John Muir High School
Marshall Fundamental School
Pasadena High School
Please check out our latest book, Expanding College Access for Urban Youth: What Schools and Colleges Can Do (2016) available on Amazon and other book outlets.
Summer & Academic-Year Programming
The VIP Scholars Program includes academic-year and summer programming. VIPS programming is designed within a social justice framework that seeks to both increase students’ academic competitiveness and challenge students to think critically about the world around them.
Each year during spring semester, we recruit a cohort of 35-50 high school sophomores to participate in a two-year VIPS experience. The experience begins with a 3-week summer residential program at UCLA that includes
- an intensive writing course (4 college units)
- community advocacy training
- culturally relevant workshops and field trips
- critical film discussions
- community-building activities
- holistic mentoring
Students who successfully complete the 3-week summer program and remain academically competitive during junior year return the next summer for the 5-week summer residential program. The 5-week summer residential program includes
- enrollment in two UCLA courses: Critical Issues in Education (4 college units) and a STEM or Social Science seminar (1 college unit)
- UC Admissions workshops led by UCLA admissions staff
- Brown Bag dialogues with UCLA faculty and departments
- culturally relevant workshops and field trips
- critical film discussions
- holistic mentoring
Students who successfully complete the 5-week summer residential program earn 5 college units and are eligible for a $20,000 scholarship should they enroll at UCLA after high school.
During junior and senior years, VIPS provides students with weekly academic mentoring at their high school. Additionally, students and families attend quarterly Saturday Academies at UCLA with a parent/guardian/supportive adult. Some topics explored during Saturday Academies are competitive eligibility, preparing for college life, financial aid and scholarships, college choice and major, and turning a passion into a career.
Buddy Days
Buddy Days give high school students outside of our VIPS cohorts the unique opportunity to experience being a UCLA student for a day. Each high school student is paired with a UCLA student within their field of interest to shadow for the day. The high school students attend UCLA classes and meetings, get an exclusive campus tour, and visit the residential halls with their UCLA buddy. High school students gain valuable insight from their UCLA buddy and other undergraduate students throughout the day.
All VIPS programming is FREE including all food, field trips and materials!
VIPS Day One
The VIPS Day One program is an expansion of our current VIPS model that allows us to dedicate more time and effort to serving and supporting the processes of recruitment, application, retention and completion of the VIPS program for young men of color. Day One focuses specifically on developing research-based best practices to bolster holistic Black male success through academic advising and early college exposure.
Day One has its own dedicated staff of undergraduate mentors for each school site who
- provide one-on-one and group mentoring
- ensure students are enrolled in A-G courses and are taking necessary steps toward academic competitiveness
- share college prep resources
- work to form supportive relationships with key stakeholders at each school
- create specialized programming for 9th grade Black males
- organize Buddy Day field trips for students to tour UCLA and spend the day with current undergraduates
- collect data to inform overall Day One programming
KINGS Summer
Day One also has its own summer residential component, Kulturally Influencing Ninth Grade Scholars (KINGS) Summer. We hosted our inaugural KINGS Summer cohort of 25 students from our 10 partner high schools in Summer 2019. KINGS Summer consists of
- 3-day overnight stay in UCLA residential halls
- intensive workshops focused on building English/Language Arts and STEM skills
- networking with entrepreneurs, creatives, and UCLA staff, faculty and alumni
- community-building activities
We are always looking for creative ways to partner with other educators, programs and organizations to better serve young men of color. Please feel free to reach out to vips@college.ucla.edu if you would like learn more about Day One.
College Retention
Since the inaugural VIPS cohort, 100% of VIPS students graduate from high school and go on to enroll at an institution of higher education. 79% of students attend 4-year public institutions–with 53% attending UCLA–while 18% attend 4-year private institutions and the remaining 3% attend community colleges. Our goal is to ensure all of our students feel supported no matter what college they choose to attend and are immediately connected with resources and stakeholders on their chosen campus.
The VIPS Retention Program supports VIP Scholars’ retention through college by partnering with campus leaders committed to supporting students of color and providing opportunities for students to consistently engage with the VIP Scholars Program. The VIPS Retention Program is committed to providing guidance in navigating institutional structures, creating a sustainable culture of active engagement of students, and encouraging a culture that is student-centered and facilitates and celebrates VIP Scholars’ success.
Since 2017, our Retention Coordinator has been able to visit and support our students at
Barnard College
California State University, Northridge
Loyola Marymount University
New York University
Pasadena City College
San Diego State University
Santa Monica College
Tulane University
UC Berkeley
UC Irvine
UC Riverside
UC Santa Cruz
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Wesleyan University
and has hosted events to engage our students throughout the school year and during school breaks. Our retention coordinator has also worked to create relationships with stakeholders at every campus one of our students attends.
If you are a former VIPS high school student or a college campus leader, please feel free to connect with our Retention Coordinator, Jerzy Messan, at jmessan@college.ucla.edu
High School Newsletter
The VIPS High School Newsletter is posted once a month. Stay tuned for the upcoming October 2020 edition.
Resources:
Pasadena list of virtual tours
Languages Other Than English: Duolingo, Conjueguemos
History/Social Science: Khan Academy-Humanities, The Crash Course
VIPS Staff
Main Office
Lauren Brazile & Ayana Woods
vips@college.ucla.edu
310-825-2366
Fax: 310-206-2595
Leadership Team
Director
Dr. Jonli Tunstall
jtunstall@college.ucla.edu
310-206-5245
Assistant Director
Ashley V. Williams, M.Ed.
avwilliams@college.ucla.edu
310-267-4676
Retention Coordinator
Jerzy Messan
jmessan@college.ucla.edu
310-825-2366
Site Coordinator
Aurelia Rhymer
arhymer@college.ucla.edu
310-825-2366
Graduate Student Researchers
Cynthia Estrada
cynthiaestradag@ucla.edu
Jaylen Lowe
jaylowe24@g.ucla.edu
Academic-Year Site Mentors
Alexander Hamilton Senior High School
Taylor Green
taylorgreen206@gmail.com
Crenshaw High School
FayeAnn Addison
fakaddi@g.ucla.edu
King/Drew Medical Magnet
India Davis
indiadavis209@gmail.com
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES)
Isaiah Clark
clarkisaiah76@gmail.com
Rancho-Dominguez Preparatory School
Miranda Winding
mwinding19@g.ucla.edu
Susan Miller Dorsey High School
Anaya Ali
alianaya0026@gmail.com
Westchester Enriched Science Magnets
Elon Morris
elon.edu.02@gmail.com
John Muir High School
Reginald Myles
reggiemyles33@yahoo.com
Marshall Fundamental School
Imani Robinson
imanirobinson@g.ucla.edu
Pasadena High School
Lela Theus
lelatheus03@g.ucla.edu
Extension/Virtual
Greylyn Bowens
greylynbowens@gmail.com
VIPS Day One Site Mentors
Alexander Hamilton Senior High School
JeiRonemo Thomas
jeironemothomas@gmail.com
Crenshaw High School
Deion Barrientos
deionbarrientos@yahoo.com
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES)
Laila Wheeler
laiwe039@gmail.com
Rancho-Dominguez Preparatory School
Miranda Winding
mwinding19@g.ucla.edu
Susan Miller Dorsey High School
Ruth Kasahun
ruthkasahun@ucla.edu
Westchester Enriched Science Magnets
Eric Musgrave
emusgrave001@gmail.com
John Muir High School
Joseph Dolloway
jojodolloway@gmail.com
Marshall Fundamental School
Imani Robinson
imanirobinson@g.ucla.edu
Pasadena High School
Lela Theus
lelatheus03@g.ucla.edu
Extension/Virtual
Greylyn Bowens
greylynbowens@gmail.com
Log your VIPS Events here!
In order to remain eligible for the VIPS UCLA scholarship, all VIPS students must
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Meet with VIPS AAP counselor, Jessika Herrera (jherrera@college.ucla.edu), once per quarter
- Meet with someone from the VIPS leadership team at least once per quarter
- Attend each quarterly VIPS Orientation, every academic year.
- Attend at least 2 AAP Graduate Mentoring info sessions/workshops or meet once a year with an AAP Graduate Mentor
- Volunteer for a VIPS Buddy Day, Saturday Academy, or Webinar
- Complete the requirements above and visit the following places on campus to get a Retention Prize:
Career Center workshops/1:1 appointments
RISE Center Wellness Workshops
Black Bruin Resource Center
Community Programs Office