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C-SPAN Visits Irvine to Honor Local StudentCam Documentary Winners

Friday, May 20, 2022

C-SPAN and Cox Communications will join Mayor Farrah N. Khan on Wednesday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. PT to honor Sharon Chen and Amber Khauv for their winning entry in C-SPAN's annual student video documentary competition, StudentCam. Chen, an 11th grader at Portola High School, and Khauv, an 11th grader at Orange County School of the Arts, won Third Prize and $750 for the video, The Lasting Impact of Space Travel, and will meet with the Mayor at Irvichane City Hall. The competition, now in its 18th year, invited all middle and high school students to enter by producing a shor...

UCI Ranked 9th University in Money Magazine’s Best Colleges 2022

Friday, May 20, 2022

Money magazine has ranked University of California, Irvine ninth in its 2022 list of the U.S.’s “Best Colleges” – making it the highest-rated California university. The annual ranking, released May 16, acknowledges UCI’s continued growth in providing accessible, high-quality education and fostering alumni success. “We are delighted that UCI has once again been recognized as one of the premier universities in the nation,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “This ranking reflects our deep commitment to providing student opportunity and validates our intentional agenda to promote the American dream by being an engine of upward mobility through higher education.” According to Money, UCI score...

Three Seniors from High Schools in Irvine Among 30 Edison Scholars

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Thirty high school seniors in Southern California Edison’s service area have been named 2022 Edison Scholars and will be awarded a total of $1.2 million in scholarships from Edison International. The scholarships are intended to help these students pursue science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) studies. Among the students are three from schools in Irvine: Eric S. Lee, Irvine High School Monica Pal, San Joaquin High School Abigail Samson, Arnold O. Beckman High School Including Lee, Pal, and Samson, there are nine Orange County seniors receiving STEM scholarships of $40,000. Here is the complete list of the 2022 Edison Scholars: Halle Allen, San Pedro High School Eliana Amanuel, Whitney Hig...

UCI Names Tiffany Lopez as Dean of Claire Trevor School of the Arts

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Tiffany Lopez, visionary artist and administrator and proven champion for diversity and inclusion, has been named dean of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. She will assume the post on July 1. Lopez comes to UCI from Arizona State University, where she serves as vice provost for inclusive excellence and as a Foundation Professor in the Sidney Poitier New American Film School in ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. “UCI’s visionary founders included a school of fine arts in our academic plan so that the study and creation o...

UCI’s Michael Méndez is named a 2022 Andrew Carnegie Fellow

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

University of California, Irvine’s Michael Méndez has been named to the 2022 class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows. The assistant professor of urban planning and public policy joins an exclusive cohort of 28 distinguished individuals nationwide selected from nearly 300 nominees. Each will receive $200,000 for a research sabbatical focused on their study in the social sciences or humanities – the most generous stipend of its type. “I am pleased to congratulate Professor Méndez on being named a 2022 Andrew Carnegie Fellow,” said Hal Stern, UCI provost and executive vice-chancellor. “This recognition will support his groundbreaking research on environmental policy and protection...

Award-Winning Greater Irvine Chamber Career Edge Program Issues First-Ever Certification

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

The award-winning Career Edge program has issued its first-ever soft-skills certification to seven students from high schools in Irvine who successfully completed all four sessions of the 2021-2022 series. At the conclusion of the series in April, graduates of the program also earned a letter of completion & recommendation from the Greater Irvine Chamber. The sessions offered were: Successful Business Etiquette and Effective Business Communication taught by Massiel Pérez-Calhoon, Ed.D., adjunct faculty at University of Massachusetts Global; and Practical Critical Thinking & Problem Solving taught by Edward R. De La Torre, Ed.D., assistant professor at University of Massachusetts Global. The final session, Resum...

Irvine High Schools Earn High Scores in California’s Top 50

Monday, April 25, 2022

Irvine High Schools have made Niche’s 2022 rankings of the best public high schools in the nation and the state. Out of thousands of public schools considered, University High School cracked the nation’s top 100 at 93. How high schools in the Irvine Unified School District ranked among the top California public high schools: #10) University High School – 4th best in college prep #13) Northwood High School – also ranked 12th best in college prep #34) Woodbridge High School – also ranked 30th best in college prep #50) Irvine High School – also ranked 40th best in college prep Portola High School ranked 9th best public high school in Orange County. Arnold O. Beckma...

Concordia University Irvine Earns Military Friendly School Designation

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Concordia University Irvine has earned the 2022-2023 Military Friendly® School designation in the Silver Tier. This means Concordia is in the top 20% of most Military Friendly® Schools, excluding the top 10. Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2022-2023 survey with 665 earning special awards for going above the standard. The 2022-2023 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com. Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined b...

Concordia University Irvine Offers Students Pathway to Serve Communities

Friday, April 08, 2022

Beginning Fall 2022, Concordia University Irvine will offer traditional undergraduate students to complete 450 hours of service over the course of the academic year in exchange for $10,000 toward their education in a new initiative called the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps. The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program is a service fellowship that provides students with college funding while engaging them in community problem-solving in the fields of education, climate action, and food insecurity. Over the next two academic years, Concordia students will have the opportunity to serve alongside local school districts and nonprofit organizations to solve real challenges and build healthier, more equitable communities. This program align...

UC Irvine Names Austen Parrish New Dean of Law School

Thursday, April 07, 2022

Austen Parrish, a respected scholar, gifted classroom teacher, and admired legal academy leader, will become the third dean of the School of Law at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. He will assume the post on Aug. 3. “Since it first enrolled students in 2009, UCI Law has been recognized as the finest young law school in the nation, one of the top public law schools overall and a model for combining academic excellence with service to the community,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “With his clear vision, proven leadership and stellar accomplishments, Austen Parrish is the right perso...

Chapman MBA Program Rises to its Highest Position Ever in U.S. News Rankings

Friday, April 01, 2022

Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business and Economics has vaulted to No. 72 in the latest Best Business School rankings by U.S. News & World Report, announced Tuesday, March 29. It’s the school’s highest-ever position in the prestigious rankings of business schools with full-time MBA programs. Since Thomas Turk assumed the role of dean five years ago, the Argyros School has jumped 26 places in the national rankings. “These 2023 rankings validate our position among the top private business schools on the West Coast as well as our overall position among all California schools,” said Turk, Ph.D., who holds the Robert J. and Caroly...

UC Irvine Ranks Among U.S. News' Best Graduate Schools

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

The University of California, Irvine’s graduate programs in education and chemistry place in the nation’s top 10 among public universities in U.S. News & World Report’s annual graduate school rankings. Nine other fields of advanced study are in the top 20 among public universities, marking UCI as one of the leading locations in the country for students to pursue graduate degrees. “UCI has established itself as a world-class public research university in a wide range of graduate disciplines,” said Gillian Hayes, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate Division. “These rankings confirm that our campus offers challenging an...

Heather Vezner named new Dean for the School of Education at Concordia University Irvine

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Heather Vezner, a lifelong teacher and leader in education, is the newly-appointed dean of Concordia University Irvine (CUI) School of Education (SOE). She succeeds Kent Schlichtemeier, who is now the director of the new Servant Leadership Institute, which works in close partnership with the SOE. Vezner was a primary leader in preparation for CUI’s site visit critical to the California Teacher Credential process. “It was hugely successful and showed a lot about why she needs to be in a position of leadership like she is in now,” Tim Schumacher, assistant professor of educational technology and chair of the search committee. Provost Scott Ashmon say...

Irvine Public Schools Foundation Raises Over $1M to Benefit Critical Programs, Classroom Support

Wednesday, March 09, 2022

Generous supporters of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) gathered on March 5 for the 25th Anniversary Spirit of Excellence Gala at the Great Park’s Hanger 244 in Irvine. The celebration welcomed a mix of guests including civic and business leaders as well as individual community members and raised over $1 Million to fund critical programs and classroom support for Irvine Unified School District (IUSD). As a leading nonprofit, whose mission is to enrich the educational experience of each child in every school, IPSF relies on generous community support to fulfill its commitment to provide programs, raise funds, and unite th...

IPSF Awards $250,000 in Innovative Grants to 25 Irvine Schools

Wednesday, March 02, 2022

Each year, Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) offers teachers, staff, and students in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) the opportunity to apply for funds through the Innovative Grants Program. In celebration of the organization's 25th anniversary, IPSF increased its commitment to innovation by awarding IUSD educators at 25 schools and/or departments with grants of up to $10,000 each, for a total of $250,000. The purpose of this grant program is to support innovation in schools by awarding funds to launch new curriculum or projects to improve the educational experiences of students throughout the district. Projects awarded this year included innovation labs, schoo...

Irvine Forward Foundation Established to Support Education and Career Readiness Programs

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

The Irvine Forward Foundation (IFF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been established to support educational achievement through scholarships, career readiness, and community engagement. Scholarships supported by IFF: Lt. Col. Thomas U. Wall Scholarship — Funding for the scholarship began with a $20,000 endowment from the Thomas U. Wall trust in 1992. The funds were placed in an account at a financial institution and the interest from the funds determines the number of scholarships to be awarded on an annual basis. Eligible students must be a U.S. resident, U.S. military veteran, or child or grandchild of a U.S. Military veteran who is pursuing ...

UCI Becomes Founding Member of Collegiate Esports Leadership Group

Friday, February 18, 2022

University of California, Irvine has become a founding member of Voice of Intercollegiate Esports to take an active role in shaping the higher education esports ecosystem. As a member of VOICE, UCI will join other collegiate esports leaders in conversations about issues in the esports environment. UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman will head the organization’s President’s Council, convening key people from many of the top academic institutions to address the rapidly growing esports landscape. “UCI is thrilled to be a founding member of VOICE,” Gillman said. “I look forward to working with other university leaders to provide guidance to the nascent an...

With More Than $11 Million in Support, Chapman Institute Champions Access for Students With Disabilities

Friday, February 18, 2022

In the struggle to make education more inclusive, too often people with disabilities have been on the outside looking in. But now Chapman University’s Thompson Policy Institute on Disability (TPI) is increasing access and opportunity for all individuals, aided by growing support from foundations and other donors. In September, TPI received a $3.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund a Technical Assistance Collaborative supporting innovative approaches to preparing educators to teach all students equitably in general-education classrooms. The Gates Foundation grant establishes the California Educator Preparation Innovation Collaborative (CalEPIC). The gift elevates the total amount of foundation grant an...

UCI’s 2021 Fundraising Tally Hits $248M Thanks to Donors

Monday, February 14, 2022

(Orange County Business Journal) Orange County philanthropists who count personal connections to the University of California, Irvine, helped make 2021 the second-largest fundraising year in the university’s history. “Despite the pandemic, we’re blowing it away [with fundraising], and people’s hearts are being touched. Their wallets are speaking,” said UCI Foundation Trustee James Peterson. The former Microsemi chief executive known locally as Jimmy P added: “We’re in an uncertain time, but one thing is certain: people’s desire to give is expanding.” 2021’s collection of UCI gifts includes an abundance of mega-sized donations directed at the school. Earlier this month, UCI disclosed that the estate of philanthropis...

$57M Gift to UC Irvine Will Establish World-Class, Campuswide Depression Research Center

Monday, February 07, 2022

The estate of Audrey Steele Burnand has gifted $57.75 million to the University of California, Irvine to fund the creation of a new campus-wide center that will pursue research into the causes and treatment of depression and also support the UCI-managed Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center. More than $55 million of the gift is earmarked for advancing depression research at UCI. It’s believed to be the largest philanthropic donation to a U.S. university to support research focused solely on depression, which is the most prevalent mental health disorder in the U.S. “This is a truly transformative gift from a longtime and great supporte...

W.M. Keck Foundation Awards $1M to UCI Team to Study Cartilage Formation

Thursday, February 03, 2022

The W.M. Keck Foundation has awarded $1 million to an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California, Irvine to study the formation and health of cartilages, tissues that are vital to skeletal structures. A particular focus for the UCI team, which includes scientists from the School of Biological Sciences and The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, will be an examination of “peculiar cells” that are giant in size and packed with lipid molecules, according to co-principal investigator Maksim Plikus, professor of developmental & cell biology. These cells come together to form and provide mechanical structure to cartilages in the nose, ear...

Concordia University Irvine Selected as Part of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps Program

Sunday, January 23, 2022

Concordia University Irvine has been selected to participate in the #Californians For All College Corps program. Concordia is one of only four private universities in California participating in the initiative. Announced Tuesday, 45 colleges and universities in California will be part of a new public service program that will subsidize tuition for students who do community service alongside their studies. “California is a world leader in both higher education and service,” Governor Gavin Newsom said. “The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps advances these priorities by connecting Californians of different backgrounds with enriching service opportunities throughout the state while making college more affordable for our state’...

Irvine Schools Ranked The Overall Best In Orange County

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

(Patch) Irvine schools are the overall best in the Orange County area, according to Niche's 2022 rankings. Irvine Unified School District shined in categories related to academics, diversity, college prep, teachers and sports, but struggled in categories like resources and facilities, clubs, and food. The 2022 Niche rankings considered multiple factors and data from the U.S. Department of Education for a comprehensive look at a district. This year's analysis considered state testing scores, SAT and ACT testing scores, racial and economic diversity, surveys of student and parent experiences, athletic opportunities, and more. The most heavily weighted category was academics, accounting for 50 percent o...

UCI Ranks No. 3 Top College in the West for Diversity

Friday, November 26, 2021

The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings has ranked University of California, Irvine No. 3 for Diversity in its annual ranking that was released on Nov. 17, 2021. UCI, Cal State Northridge, and San Francisco State all tied No. 3 nationally for the diversity of their students and faculty. In the WSJ/THE rankings, diversity accounts for 10 percent of a school’s overall score. The WSJ/THE ranking is based on 15 factors across four main categories: Forty percent of each school’s overall score comes from student outcomes, including measures of graduate salaries and debt burdens, 30 percent from the school’s academic resources...

Irvine Educators, STEAM Programs Honored During Inaugural Greater Irvine Chamber Distinguished Educators Awards

Friday, October 15, 2021

Irvine educators and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) programs were honored during the Greater Irvine Chamber Distinguished Educators event sponsored by Chapman University and held at the Hilton Irvine on Oct. 13. “The Greater Irvine Chamber celebrates Irvine’s world-class education as part of what helps the city live up to its promise as a model master-planned community. The quality of education in Irvine is a key factor in sustaining economic vitality in the region; it’s what ensures we continue to produce a 21st-century workforce,” said Bryan Starr, president and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber. “Our world-class schools, colleges, and universities are vita...

Irvine: The City of Education

Monday, October 04, 2021

By Bryan Starr, President and CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber | Destination Irvine As published in the Orange County Business Journal, October 4, 2021 (Text included below flipbook.) It’s not surprising that Irvine is one of the best places in the nation to receive an education, from K-12 to Ph.D. More than six decades ago, Irvine was master-planned with education in mind. Visionary city leaders knew that prioritizing education would be the key to the city’s long-term economic vitality and quality of life, so they designed the city around a research institution — known today as the University of California, Irvine (UCI). As the cit...

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