Hola amigos, I wanted to share my excitement with all of you. Our new Resources page is a gold mine of information.
November 13, 2020
October 28, 2020
Have questions about how other programs are adapting? Want to brainstorm some innovative solutions to complex challenges? Feel like trying out a new technology or diving into the NEW Resources page on the UC Links website?
Please drop-in and join Mara and Karla for the first UC Links Virtual Office Hours Monday, November 2nd 9-10am PST.
October 20, 2020
The UC Links Statewide Office has developed a NEW Resources page on the UC Links website to strengthen UC Links connections and leverage the collective work of the UC Links network to respond to these unprecedented times. The webpage includes some of the resources we’ve collected from across the network including:
September 12, 2020
On September 12th, I (Karla) observed part of the Whittier BCM 2020 Retreat between 1:30 - 2:30 pm. This event was held virtually for all participating undergraduate and graduate students from 9am - 4:00 pm and was hosted by Katherine Lazo, the Director for the B.C. McCabe Community Education Programs, which include the Fifth Dimension. The overall focus of the second half of the retreat was community building and preparation for the start of the Fifth Dimension programs for the 2020-21 school year.
February 22, 2020
The 2020 UC Links Annual International Conference will be held February 28-29 in the Graduate School of Education at UC Berkeley (2121 Berkeley Way, Colloquia Rooms 1102 & 1104). The conference brings together university faculty, staff, and students with community and school partners to share observations, research findings, program successes and concerns, and ongoing challenges and strategies.
January 21, 2020
Scholars and partners from throughout the UC Links international network will be coming to the San Francisco Bay Area, April 17-21 2020, to participate in the annual meetings of the American Educational Research Association.
September 23, 2019
UCOP’s Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP) has released its 2017-18 program outcomes report, providing an overview of the SAPEP programs and services, including UC Links.
September 4, 2019
On April 16th, Mara visited the Y-PLAN (YOUTH-PLAN LEARN ACT NOW!) in action at McClymonds High School in West Oakland. Y-PLAN partners with multiple high schools and elementary schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and collaborates with a number of clients. My visit was to a computer-science class that is partnering with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), a regional planning agency for all nine Bay Area counties.
August 19, 2019
On May 15th, Charles and Mara visited the Corre la Voz after school program, a collaboration between the Oakes Community-based Action Research and Advocacy Program at UC Santa Cruz and Bayview Elementary School near UCSC. We were able to visit with PI Leslie Lopez on campus to learn about both programmatic and shared UCSC history (Mara and Leslie were slugs together as undergrads!) and generally catch-up before visiting the school together.
June 23, 2019
On May 8, I (Charles) visited La Clase Mágica at St. Leo’s Mission in Solana Beach (a few photos and a short video are here ). Finally, after a month of other site visits, etc., I'm able to share my experience at LCM. The site, founded and fostered for decades by Olga Vásquez, is now directed by community leaders under the auspices of a local nonprofit known as La Colonia de Eden Gardens, Inc.
June 21, 2019
On May 2nd-4th, we (Charles and Mara) drove down the beautiful coast of California and spent three glorious days enjoying all that the UC Santa Barbara UC Links programs had to offer! Professor Betsy Brenner was an amazing hostess and tour guide! It was no small task to provide an overview of and access to all of the programs that she and Professors Richard Durán and Diana Arya develop, coordinate, and sustain! We visited Club Proteo at the Goleta Boys & Girls Club (going strong for 25+ years!); the St.
June 3, 2019
On April 30th, Mara visited UC Davis’ Beta Lab (Build. Engineer. Tinker. Adapt.) programs at Met Sacramento High School (Sacramento) and Montgomery Elementary School (Davis). Professor Lee Martin (Education) initiated these and an additional program at a Boys & Girls Club in Sacramento. The Beta Lab is a mobile van filled with maker supplies, materials, and tools that can be driven to different locations to support a range of maker activities.
May 9, 2019
April 25, 2019
On April 9th, Charles and I visited the St. Cornelius ECUC Expanded Learning Program at St. Cornelius school in Richmond, CA. The after-school program, developed and carried out by Professor Glynda Hull (UC Berkeley) and her dedicated staff and students, is a 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) and part of the East Bay Collaborative for Underserved Children (ECUC).
March 25, 2019
The 2019 UC Links Annual International Conference brought together university faculty, staff, students, and community and school partners from throughout California as well as from Utah, Germany, Japan, and Uruguay. Conference participants learned about each other's programs, shared successes and concerns, and discussed strategies to deepen collaboration across programs.
March 13, 2019
In December 2017, an inquisitive group of middle school students from El Sol Academy of Arts and Sciences in Santa Ana, California visited the University of California, Irvine’s Contemporary Art Center Gallery to experience Aztlan to Magulandia: the Journey of Chicano Artist Gilbert “Magu” Lujan. On campus, the students were greeted by Chicano culture bearers and arts advocates Manuel Gomez and Naiche Lujan who teamed up to lead them through the gallery and beyond, on a journey toward a deep recognition, knowledge and reverence for Chicano history, culture and identity.
March 8, 2019
The UC Links Annual International Conference will be held March 15-16 on the Clark Kerr Campus at UC Berkeley. The conference brings together university faculty, staff, and students with community and school partners to share observations, research findings, program successes and concerns, and ongoing challenges and strategies.
March 1, 2019
The due date for UC Links proposals for 2019-21 is rapidly approaching. Please review the UC Links Request for Proposals (link is external) for more information. If you are interested in applying for UC Links funding, either to continue existing programs or to start up new programs, you need to submit a proposal for the upcoming two-year funding cycle (2019-2021).
February 28, 2019
On Feb. 27, Mara and I visited the UC Links course and Bruin Club after-school program at the UCLA Community School in Los Angeles, run by Marjorie Orellena, students, and school partners.
February 7, 2019
On Feb. 6, Mara and I visited two UC Links sites run by Sandi Simpkins and Jenel Lao -- together with their graduate student, Kayla Puente -- and their partners in Irvine and Santa Ana, CA: the Math CEO program, which takes place on the UCI campus, and the Girls Inc. site at Killybrooke Elementary School. The Math CEO program was in full swing, but the children in the Girls, Inc. program were away at a science camp for the day, so we saw a smaller sampling of their activities.
On Feb. 5, Mara and I visited Whittier. Katherine Lazo and her team warmly hosted us. We visited both the Whittier 5th Dimension site and the new site at Evergreen Elementary. Excuse the length of this note – but we want to provide a clear picture of these sites and their work with local young people.
January 25, 2019
The UC Links Statewide Office is looking forward to attending UC Links partner the Center for Cities + Schools' 2019 Symposium: The Power of Civic Learning for Resilient Cities on Friday, February 1, 2019 8:30am - 4:00pm at UC Berkeley. The event promises to provide valuable learning from leading academic, civic and educational leaders about the importance of youth voice in building an inclusive and resilient region.
January 16, 2019
Charles Underwood will be giving a talk about his book, Mythos and Voice: Displacement, Learning and Agency in Odysseus’ World, on Wednesday, January 30th at 3:30pm in the Doe Library (Room 303) at UC Berkeley.
January 3, 2019
The 2019-21 UC Links Request for Proposals is now available. If you are interested in applying for UC Links funding, either to continue existing programs or to start up new programs, you need to submit a proposal for the upcoming two-year funding cycle (2019-2021).