ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The A
stin Community Engaged Scholars program provides a unique opportunity for undergraduates to spend a year learning about, and then conducting, community-engaged research. As Brian, an Astin Scholar alum (2017-2018), shares, “The Astin program allowed me to cultivate the idea that you can be passionate for disadvantaged communities, vulnerable populations….It strengthens you as an academic in a way that is unmatched at UCLA”.
Scholars enroll in a credit-bearing course each quarter, and receive a financial award to engage in research that will support social justice movements. Always keeping in mind our goal of having a positive impact on the communities we work with, the program has continued to evolve over the years to incorporate more community voice. In its current conception, Scholars spend the fall quarter learning about the principles of conducting community engaged research, and then during winter and spring quarters, collaborate with graduate students and community activists to produce action-oriented research on a specific social issue, as part of the Institute for Research on Labor & Employment’s (IRLE) long-standing Community Scholars program.
The program is named for visionary UCLA higher education scholars Helen (“Lena”) and Alexander (“Sandy”) Astin to honor their nationally recognized body of research in the area of civic engagement.
– Aliena Pitts, Political Science major with a Community Engagement and Social Change minor
Remembering Lena
Helen S. (Lena) Astin was a pioneer in the research of student experiences while in college, specifically on issues related to women, equity, spirituality, and civic engagement. She was a prolific writer, having authored 14 books among her vast accomplishments in a career that spanned over 50 years. But to the students who have been chosen as Astin Community Engaged Scholars, Lena personified what an educator should be: someone who deeply cared about students.
Her insight, encouragement, and warmth were tremendously meaningful for these young scholars learning how to incorporate their passions into rigorous inquiry. And the feeling was mutual — Lena always had a big smile on her face while listening to the students talk about their research. All of us who knew and worked with Lena have been honored by her company. She is so greatly missed.
To learn more about Lena’s life and career, and to share your own memories of her, please visit the Higher Education Research Institute’s Tribute to Lena.
HOW TO APPLY
The Astin Community Engaged Scholars program funds a select group of upper-division students who demonstrate a strong, ongoing commitment to community engagement and social change. The program is named for visionary UCLA higher education scholars Helen (“Lena”) and Alexander (“Sandy”) Astin to honor their nationally recognized body of research in the area of civic engagement. Those chosen to participate will receive a scholarship of up to $10,000 (based on need, as determined by the Financial Aid Office).
In 2026-27, the Astin Scholars will collaborate with the UCLA Center for Community Schooling to implement and research a new civic action curriculum as part of the Advanced Placement Seminar and Research courses offered by the UCLA RFK and Mann Community Schools. Scholars will mentor high school students in the development and implementation of action-oriented research, and will evaluate aspects that emerge from this experimental effort to make the AP research experiences more community-engaged. Potential topics for evaluation by the Astin Scholars include researcher identity development, impacts of a Youth Participatory Action Research approach, challenges associated with implementing community-engaged research at the high school level, and more. Students chosen as Astin Scholars should expect to volunteer 1 day per week at either the RFK UCLA Community School in Koreatown or the Mann UCLA Community School in South LA. Transportation expenses will not be covered.
Fall quarter will be spent learning about the principles and the practice of conducting community-engaged research. In winter quarter, Scholars will learn about research design, and will team with their research partners to design their projects and begin collecting data. Spring quarter will be dedicated to analyzing data collected and sharing the teams’ findings. Each quarter, undergraduates will enroll in a 4-unit upper-division course: in fall, the course is Community Engagement & Social Change M190A; in winter, it is CESC 191AX; and in spring, it’s CESC 191BX. All courses will be taught by Dr. Doug Barrera, Senior Associate Director of the UCLA Center for Community Engagement. Students will also be required to attend weekly research meetings with staff of the Center for Community Schooling.
Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their major and have junior or senior standing in the fall of the year they begin the program.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on May 10, 2026.
Questions about the application or the program in general can be sent to Dr. Douglas Barrera at dbarrera@college.ucla.edu. Dr. Barrera is also happy to meet with any prospective applicants to discuss their research ideas. Please email him for an appointment.
Apply for the Astin Community Engaged Scholars program here:
2025-2026 Astin Community Engaged Scholars
Konani Chinn
Konani Chinn is majoring in World Arts & Culture/Dance with minor in Community Engagement & Social Change.
Kaitlyn Cui
Kaitlyn Cui is majoring in Political Science with minors in Public Affairs and Digital Humanities.
Patricia Rose De Leon
Patricia Rose De Leon is majoring in Psychobiology with minors in Global Health and Community Engagement & Social Change.
Angel Flores Martinez
Angel Flores Martinez is majoring in Education & Social Transformation with minor in Community Engagement & Social Change.
Nandini Ganesh
Nandini Ganesh is majoring in Psychobiology.
Heather Liu
Heather Liu is majoring in
Physiological Science with a minor in Community Engagement & Social Change.
Fiona Lu
Fiona Lu is majoring in Public Affairs; Labor Studies; Asian American Studies with a minor in Community Engagement & Social Change.
Danny Vinhhuy Nguyen
Danny Vinhhuy Nguyen is majoring in Psychology.
Iván Jesus Orellana
Iván Jesus Orellana is majoring in MCD Biology; Psychology with a minor in Public Affairs.
Deanna Placa
Deanna Placa is majoring in International Development Studies; Political Science with a minor in Community Engagement & Social Change.
Zitlalli M. Rodríguez
Zitlalli M. Rodríguez is majoring in Public Affairs with a minor in Chicana & Chicano Studies.
2024-2025 Astin Community Engaged Scholars
Isabella Kimberly Cardenas
Isabella Kimberly Cardenas is majoring in Biology with a minor in Biomedical Research.
Charlene Faye Cubangbang
Charlene Faye Cubangbang is majoring Political Science with minors in Global Studies and Public Affairs.
Cristopher Espino
Cristopher Espino is majoring in Political Science & Education and Social Transformation Studies.
Gabriela Nicole Hernandez
Gabriela Nicole Hernandez is majoring in American Literature and Culture with minors in Community Engagement and Social Change and Spanish.
Ryan Horio
Ryan Horio is majoring in Human Biology & Society and Asian American Studies.
Brenda Macuil
Brenda Macuil is majoring in International Development Studies.
Tai-Ge Min (they/he)
Tai-Ge Min is majoring in Sociology with minors in Labor Studies and Social Data Science.
Christina Morcus
Christina Morcus is double majoring in International Development Studies and Cognitive Science with a specialization in Computation. She plans to minor in Community Engagement and Social Change.
Allyson Najera
Allyson Najera is majoring in Sociology with a minor in Education.
Isabel Ortega Hernandez (she/her/ella)
Isabel Ortega Hernandez (she/her/ella) is double majoring in Political Science and Chicane and Central American Studies with a minor in Labor Studies.
Olivia Pacheco
Yoonha Park is majoring in Public Health, B.S.
Yoonha Park
Yoonha Park is majoring in Public Affairs and Economics.
Karla Vasquez Perez (she/her/ella)
Karla Vasquez Perez is majoring in Political Science with minors in Community Engagement and Social Change and Central American Studies.
2023-2024 Astin Community Engaged Scholars
David Aguilar
David Aguilar is majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Chicana/Chicano Studies.
Aimee Benitez Aguirre
Aimee Benitez Aguirre is majoring in Public Affairs and International Development Studies.
Nia Ainsworth
Nia Ainsworth is majoring in Psychobiology.
Charlene Faye Cubangbang
Charlene Faye Cubangbang is majoring in Political Science with minors in Global Studies and Public Affairs.
Justine Ligaya Du
Justine Ligaya Du is majoring in Labor Studies.
Abigail Figueroa
Abigail Figueroa is double majoring in Labor Studies and Geography.
Jasmine Gonzalez
Jasmine Gonzalez is majoring in Human Biology and Society B.S. with minors in Chicano/x and Central American Studies.
Isabel Ortega Hernandez
Isabel Ortega Hernandez is majoring in Political Science, Chicanx and Central American Studies, and Labor Studies.
Bryzen Enzo Morales
Bryzen Enzo Morales is double majoring in Public Affairs and Economics.
Jonathan Garcia Renteria
Jonathan Garcia Renteria is majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in Environmental Engineering.
Sherrod Session
Sherrod Session is majoring in Labor Studies.
Chia Ying Wong
Chia Ying Wong is majoring in English, Education and Social Transformation and minoring in Community Engagement and Social Change.
Finished Products
POLICY TEAM PRESENTATIONS AND PRODUCTS
Taking the High Road Exit (booklet pdf for printing)
Recommendations for Reforming the City of Los Angeles Garment Procurement Policies
Recomendaciones para Reformar las Políticas de Adquisición de Predas de Vestir de la Ciudad de Los Angeles (Resumen Ejecutivo)
CO-OP TEAM PRESENTATION AND PRODUCTS
Threaded Together (booklet pdf for printing)
Unidos por el Hilo (booklet pdf for printing)
Comprehensive Research Binder for the Staffing Cooperative
STORY TEAM
2022 – 2023 Astin Community Engaged Scholars
Asal Bastani
Asal Bastani is majoring in Human Biology and Society with a minor in Professional Writing.
Ashley Ceballos-Hernandez
Ashley Ceballos-Hernandez is double majoring in Public Affairs and Labor Studies.
Renato Escobar
Renato Escobar is majoring in Environmental Science Minors and minoring in Global Health and Community Engagement and Social Change.
Angela Estrada
Angela Estrada is majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Community Engagement and Social Change.
Andrea Nuñez Guido
Andrea Nuñez Guido is double majoring in Labor Studies and Global Studies with a Spanish Minor.
Ili Levine
Ili Levine is double majoring in Labor studies and Gender studies.
Heidy Melchor
Heidy Melchor is double majoring in Public Affairs and Labor Studies.
Karla Alejandra Ramirez
Karla Alejandra Ramirez is double majoring in Anthropology and Sociology.
Alejandro Valdivia
Alejandro Valdivia is double majoring in Political Science and Labor Studies.