Number of Quarters in CCL: 5

Why do you think it is important to study diversity and inclusion?

Diversity is a necessary component of progress; history has shown that any innovation requires a compilation of minds - an accumulation of experiences, cultures, and perspectives - for these creations to achieve their potential. Establishing feelings of community encourages this by motivating individuals from different groups to engage. By expanding the research surrounding diversity and inclusion, we are promoting a social functioning that maximizes human connectivity to improve our society as a whole.

Describe a time you felt socially connected to UCLA?

As a first year transfer student, I was apprehensive about the idea of finding “my type” of people and establishing myself within the UCLA community. That being said, I was shocked to discover an instant feeling of connection within my randomly-assigned, 9-person apartment: it was something about how different we all were (we had everyone from a cis-gendered, surfing Design major to a non-binary STEM major), yet our differences somehow made our misfit-like bond stronger.