As the end of the academic year draws to a close and we approach graduation, the big news is that President Obama is slated to be our commencement speaker! This marks another milestone in the history of UCI, a university that has enjoyed an amazing trajectory—from

an idea, to an empty patch of land, to a top-notch comprehensive research university.

Our ascendency to the upper ranks of research universities in this country and abroad is beyond dispute. For example,

UCI is the youngest of 62 members in the prestigious Association of American Universities, and this speaks to our meteoric rise to the upper echelon of the higher education.

In its annual publication “America’s Best Colleges,” U.S. News and World Report ranks UCI 14th among the best public universities in the nation.

In 2012, The Times Higher Education ranked UCI the #1 university in the nation and the #5 university in the world of all universities under 50 years old.

These rankings reflect an impressive level of academic excellence across a wide variety of fields at UCI. And, of course, this excellence can be found in the School of Social Ecology,

an interdisciplinary school that is recognized as a pioneer in applied social and behavioral sciences.

Our students are key to all we do. As the Dean of the School of Social Ecology, I join the faculty and staff in taking pleasure in another a year of success, including:

Awarding scholarships and fellowships to students dedicated to academic success and community engagement.

Preparing students with conceptual and methodological skills to engage with others and to enrich our communities and enhance individual lives.

Ensuring our interdisciplinary research and teaching is developing equitable, sustainable and empowered communities.

Preparing our graduates for meaningful careers in diverse fields.

These achievements remind me of why we are here, the value of education, and how our work in the School of Social Ecology serves individuals and communities alike. Our upcoming graduation ceremony serves to affirm all we do and acknowledge the accomplishments of our 2014 graduates. I look forward to celebrating your achievements in June—and watching President Obama congratulate you, the class of 2014! ZOT! ZOT! ZOT! Sincerely,

Valerie Jenness Dean, School of Social Ecology

A Word From the Dean

Spring 2014

Inside this issue:

Professor Profile: Angela Lukowski

2

Field Study Highlight: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County

3

Peer Academic Advisor Spotlight

4

Spring Quarter Events

5

Student Resources: REACH, LARC, Social Ecology Student Services

6

Student Wellness 7

I have been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior at the University of California, Irvine since 2008 and I have taught one offering of Field Study each year since the start of my appointment. Field Study is one of my favorite courses to teach for a number of reasons. For one, I love learning about the students as individuals – hearing about how their previous experiences in their home departments pushed them to pursuing their specific field placement, helping them formulate their own individual research topic for their final paper, talking with them about their future goals and aspirations – and I do not often get

this opportunity in my large lecture courses. I also like to engage students in the classroom by asking them to provide feedback on the work submitted by their peers, which is another learning experience that is more difficult in larger classes. Finally, I also enjoy seeing how students grow and change over the quarter as they complete their Field Study experience. Towards the end of the quarter, students prepare a 5-minute oral presentation that they deliver in class. Students commonly report to their peers on how their chosen coursework contributed to their success at their field placement, they discuss whether they see themselves continuing with their field placement in the future, and they provide advice to their peers as to which sorts of individuals might be best suited to work at their field site. In this way, students are able to impart the knowledge they acquired throughout the quarter to their peers, who may still be considering their future career trajectory at the end of the term.

In general, students in my Field Study course are expected to complete the required number of hours at their field site, attend five scheduled class meetings, prepare a research-based paper that focuses on a topic of interest identified at their field site, and

deliver a 5-minute oral presentation in which they discuss aspects of their field placement in relation to their academic experiences at UCI. These different requirements are included so as to bridge the academic experiences had by the students throughout their undergraduate career with the practical knowledge obtained through their field placement. I hope that students view these assignments as important as they finish what is often their final quarter before graduating from UCI.

I would like to conclude by providing some advice to students who are preparing to take Field Study. Think critically about what placement will best allow you to determine your future career path. Push yourself to take on a placement that may be outside of your comfort zone or more challenging than you would like. Field Study offers students in the School of Social Ecology a unique opportunity—make the most of your experience by being thoughtful about which placement to pursue as well as its potential impact on your personal growth and future career path!

Page 2

The Social Ecology Exclusive

Angela Lukowski Assistant Professor

Specializations: Memory development in infancy and early childhood,

individual differences in long-term memory in infancy, the impact of

sleep on cognitive functioning from infancy to adulthood.

Students, Don’t wait until your fourth year to get to know your professors! Here’s a profile on Psychology and Social Behavior Faculty.

My name is Amanda Hastings and I graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a degree in Youth Development. Currently, I am the Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. My role is to coordinate yearly Match Events for Bigs & Littles, provide trainings to new enrolled Bigs, and engage

each Big with recognition pieces.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County impact in 2013: Served over 2,200 Littles, the highest number in our agency’s 56 year history, 98% of our Littles graduated from High School and 85% went to enroll in college, and our Bigs served over 200,000 hours of volunteer service. We focus on prevention and meeting a child’s most basic developmental needs. Our impact does not only change the life of that child forever, but the lives of generations to come.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County wants to prepare interns in the field of working for a non-profit agency. We encourage our interns to share about what they want to learn and gain from this experience and how Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County can help them achieve their goals.

As you are looking at different field study sites, it is important that as an intern you gain as much knowledge as possible – Be a sponge and soak up everything. If there is something that you are interested in learning about, speak up and share that with the site director. If you have an idea or better way to be efficient, share that – you as an intern are a part of the team.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County hopes that each intern walks away feeling more confident in their skills in serving youth and family, and working in the non-profit field. We hope that they have an understanding that each role in a non-profit plays a vital role in helping whom they serve reach their full potential.

About the Organization:

Big Brothers Big Sisters provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Their vision is to provide successful mentoring relationships for all children who need and want them, contributing to brighter futures, better schools, and stronger communities for all.

About the Field Study Placement Site #105

Student interns are involved in the customer relations and volunteer inquiry process. Students provide high level customer service in response to volunteer inquiries (web inquiries and telephone calls) and leads as well as helps with the background screening process and enrollment process. Student interns may also be involved in marketing, fund development and programs through recruitment and out-reach events.

Students have the opportunity to develop their verbal, writing, customer service and sales skills and will receive weekly supervision.

Interns work on weekdays for a minimum of 10 hours a week.

Requirements

Strong interpersonal skills, a positive attitude, customer focus, organizational ability, and strong communication skills . Spanish speaking skills not necessary but highly preferred.

How to apply for a placement

Email resume and references to Ahastings@ BigBro OC.org . Application process includes fingerprint background screening (at no cost to applicant), and in-person interview.

Field Study Office Hours: Tuesday afternoons from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Field Study Director: Ashley Vikander:

Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 3

Peer Academic Advisors are juniors and seniors who are rigorously trained in academic counseling. The information they provide to students comes from their personal experience as successful UCI

undergraduates as well their intensive training.

Meet your graduating peer academic advisors. They have come a long way and have set out to embark

on yet another beautiful journey full of opportunities. If you haven’t had a chance to get to know

these folks yet, you still have time!

After four years of various commitments and involve-

ments, I can definitely say that being a PAA, especial-ly for the School of Social Ecology, has been the high-

light of my undergraduate career. I appreciate the opportunities I am given to help students help

themselves and to interact with the amazing profes-sional staff. My favorite part of being a PAA is being able to grow, support, and have fun with my fellow

PAAs and our supervisor - those moments are irreplaceable. My next steps are to figure out which direction I want to head and prepare for graduate

school. -Melody Lim

One of the highlights of my UCI career would have to be being an Orientation staffer. My experience as

a staffer was majorly affected by being a PAA because PAA has given me the confidence to talk to people. I had the opportunity to talk to students all of the time as a PAA which is something I do as a

staffer as well. My next steps after graduating would be to pursue physical therapy school while at the

same time further develop as an individual. I always enjoy uplifting others and I truly believe that being a

PT would allow me to do just that. -Paul Phandl

I would say one of the biggest highlights of my undergraduate career was having the opportunity to study

abroad in England and of course being a Peer Academic Advisor! I was able to talk to students that were interested in studying abroad and make them even more excited about the experience. I

have had the most amazing time working with Social Ecology for the

past two years. I have learned so much from being a PAA that I know will help me towards my future goals. I plan to go to grad school and get a masters in

counseling and hope to pursue a career in student affairs.

-Margaret Anderson

"My last year at UCI is the greatest gift I have ever experienced. Working with Social Ecology as a Peer Advisor has given me so much insight on

how diverse and wonderful our campus is. Every person I met with really inspired me to think beyond myself and to pursue a career in helping

others. After graduation, I hope to find a job in social work and apply for an MSW program in Fall! Thanks to everyone who I’ve met this year, and congrats to all who are graduating! Let’s enjoy our last quarter!"

-Valerie Salazar

Familiar with the Cross-Cultural Center? Don’t Miss out on the Deconstruction Zone Series. an exciting opportunity to learn what the Cross-Cultural is all about and engage in diversity awareness. Check out their website: ccc.uci.edu.

Psychology and Social Behavior Career Night

Take advantage of the opportunity to meet Psychology and Social Behavior

Alumni working in the Field of Psychology! Don’t miss out on the

wisdom, advice, and personal stories of these seasoned professionals!

When? Week 6 on Tuesday, May 6th Time? 4:00-6:00 pm

Where? SBSG 1517

What: The Career Discovery Series is series of panel presentations by UCI alumni and community members representing various industries. When: 5:30-7 pm Where: Career Center Training Room. Why: To Provide students an opportunity to gain knowledge about various industries and careers from working professionals and allow them to ask questions and network. Who: All UCI students interested in learning about career options from various industries.

May14:Gaming

May15:TransportationandUrbanPlanning

Social Ecology Office of Student Services Hours

Students, are you having trouble in many of your classes? Can you manage all of your readings? Studying hard, but not smart enough? Can’t really keep up with this INSANE quarter system? Well I have the resource for you! Aside from offering tutorial sessions for the most challenging classes on campus at a very convenient price of $100 per quarter, the Learning and Academic Resource Center offers academic learning and study skills workshops that can enable you to become the successful student you’ve always wanted to be.

Workshop Topics include: Time Management, Efficient Study Plans, Surviving Lectures, Academic Reading, Preparing for Exams, and Memory and Concentration. For scheduling details visit the LARC website at larc.uci.edu. In addition, the Learning and Academic Resource Center has recently hired peer educators to further assist your needs.

More about LARC Peer Educators: LARC Peer Educators are here to help you be the best student you can! Whether you’re having trouble getting what you need out of lecture, studying effectively, or managing your time, we’re here to assist you. Workshops are great at giving you some general tips, but if you feel like you need more one-on-one consultation, stop by to chat and learn how to get where you want to go!

Office Hours: Wed. 1-3pm at SS ll 1002 and Fri. 1-3pm at RH 279

Open Monday-Friday:

9am-5pm (Closed: 12pm-1pm)

Walk-In Periods (15 minutes in length):

9am-11:30am and 1:30pm-3:45pm

102 Social Ecology I Irvine, CA 92697-7055

(949) 824-6861 E-mail: sepeer@uci.edu

ccc.uci.edu Cross-Cultural Center

Organization

List your hours or the time and date of your event. Tell readers to mail this back for a catalog, brochure, or price list. NAME

ADDRESS Mail to: Place your address here.

Reaffirming Ethnic Awareness and Community Harmony

Part of a student organization or club? Would you like to establish a better connection with your colleagues? If you answered yes to any of the above questions then REACH is just what you are looking for. What is REACH? Reaffirming Ethnic Awareness and Community Harmony, known as R.E.A.C.H., is an educational outreach program of the Cross-Cultural Center devoted to increasing awareness and knowledge of the issues and topics important to community harmony in a multicultural world. R.E.A.C.H. consists of a select group of UCI students trained through a year-long class to present workshops for students and the community on multicultural and ethnic diversity topics. You can request a workshop from R.E.A.C.H for any event in which you hope to create a peer dialogue around the following topics: racism, cultural awareness, ethnic diversity, stereotypes, identity development and more! Visit the Cross-Cultural Center website at ccc.uci.edu to request your workshop today!

Counseling Center Groups this Quarter The counseling center offers group psychotherapy which is highly beneficial for students who feel isolated, depressed, or anxious, or who are concerned about how they relate to other people. All groups meet once weekly for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Spring Schedule Mondays Making Peace With My Body- Mondays, 3:30 – 5 PM If you are ready to explore, understand, and develop an active and satisfying relationship with yourself, body and food, this group may be for you. Emphasis will be on enhancing body image and self-concept, assertiveness, confidence in relationships, and developing healthier coping styles. Tuesdays Estamos Unidas - Tuesdays 3:30-5:00pm You will have the opportunity to connect with other women who are seeking to create community with one another and address a host of concerns. Areas of focus are cultural concerns in a university environment, transitional issues between family and university life, relationships, identity, ways to succeed academically and socially, and mentoring. Wednesdays Finding Your Calm - Wednesdays 2 – 3:30 PM The goal of this group is to help students increase awareness of their personal reactions to stressors, learn anxiety management techniques, practice breathing and relaxation exercises, and gain support from others. Thursdays Men’s Group -Thursdays 1 - 2:30 PM This is a supportive and strength-based men's psychotherapy group designed to address the concerns of men. Topics include academic and work issues, self-esteem, stress and anxiety, relationships issues, grief and depression, family issues, communication skills, life transitions, anger, and addiction. Fridays Asian American Women's Support Group-10:00-11:30am Asian/Asian American women have the opportunity to explore social and cultural issues related to values, family concerns, intergenerational conflict, academic stress, career concerns, dating, sexuality, religion, immigration, gender roles, identity, etc.

Poring over textbooks, organizing lecture notes, and prepping for tests challenges your brain. Give yourself the fuel you need to stay focused and absorb what you learn in the classroom.

Milk and yogurt. Low-fat dairy products are packed with protein and B vitamins that may help you concentrate and work efficiently. Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is super-high in protein and has no added sugar. Milk and yogurt are fortified with vitamin D, which also supports brain health.

Oats. It's hard to beat oatmeal at breakfast. Oatmeal is a whole grain, which you digest slowly, giving your brain and body steady energy. You get a bowlful of B vitamins and fiber as well as potassium, zinc, and vitamin E.

Blueberries. One of nature's perfect foods, blueberries are packed with nutrients that give them their deep-blue color. One study links blueberries to improved learning and memory. Two servings (about 1 ½ cups) of fresh or frozen blueberries a day is recommended by health experts.

Salmon. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats that are good for the brain. The American Heart Association recommends two 3.5-ounce servings of fish per week.

Walnuts. While all nuts provide brain fuel in the form of protein and both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, walnuts are best. One study found that students who regularly ate walnuts were better at deductive reasoning. Stick to a daily 1-ounce serving -- just enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Hemp seed. Hemp seed provides brain-powering protein, omega-3s and -6s, and a variety of antioxidants and other nutrients. Their nutty flavor blends well with lots of breakfast foods and baked goods. Stir a couple of spoonfuls into oatmeal, mix with milk or yogurt, sprinkle on cereal, or bake into muffins.

Chocolate. Cocoa provides nutrition and the brainpower. It works by increasing blood flow to the brain. (source: webmd.com)