(Left to right) Cherry Lai tells Jenni Mora about the Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP) program during CSUN / UCLA day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. CCCP connects Pierce College students to UCLA and offers a free summer program scholarship for eligible applicants. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
CSUN/UCLA event on May 2, 2019 held at the Pierce College mall, Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by: Navodya Dharmasiriwardena
(Left to righ) Karen Sabbah speaks with Marisela Abundis about CSUN while Bryan Mason speaks to another student in the background during CSUN / UCLA day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
Amber Bui promotes research opportunies at CSUN for students during CSUN / UCLA day at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
(Left to right) Ryan Mason informs Danisa Bengar about science in public health at CSUN during CSUN / UCLA day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
(Left to right) Cherry Lai tells Jenni Mora about the Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP) program during CSUN / UCLA day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. CCCP connects Pierce College students to UCLA and offers a free summer program scholarship for eligible applicants. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
Transfer goals are posted on a bulletin board during Transfer Day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. Students that are applying in Fall 2019 are able to take photos next to the Brahma mascot and grab free college hand-outs. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
(Left to Right) Ricardo Acevedo, Harut Tatulyan and Kenza Zahidi pose during Transfer Day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. Students that are applying in Fall 2019 are able to take photos next to the Brahma mascot and grab free college hand-outs. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
(Left to right) Akadina Amrekhasadeh and Rosa Medrano dance during Transfer Day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. Students that are applying in Fall 2019 are able to take photos next to the Brahma mascot and grab free college hand-outs. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
Alexis Smith greets trasnfer students during Transfer Day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. Students that are applying in Fall 2019 are able to take photos next to the Brahma mascot and grab free college hand-outs. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
(Left to right) Alexis Smith and Akadina Amrekhasadeh represent the Trasnfer Center during Transfer Day at the Mall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. Students that are applying in Fall 2019 are able to take photos next to the Brahma mascot and grab free college hand-outs. (Photo by: Chelsea Westman)
A shot of a “phantom”which is used by students learning how to do X-rays. At Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Eileen Mansoorian talks to Brandon Moghanian about UCLA’s Biology program at the UCLA/CSUN day at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Marlon Green talks with interested students about some of UCLA’s programs at the UCLA/CSUN day at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Michel Simmons talking with Miriam Santana at the UCLA/CSUN day at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
A shot of the transfer goals board at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Itzel Barbosa puts her transfer goals on the board at our Transfer Celebration event at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Itzel Barbosa writes her transfer goals on a card at our Transfer Celebration event at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Treesa Kadavumkal gets ready to put her card on the transfer goals board at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Jake Cohn poses with our school mascot at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Nathan Chung.
Mohsen Parvaneh speaks to Deazell Johnson, Student Outreach Coordinator for the College of Engineering and Computer Science at CSUN about the engineering and computer science program at CSUN at UCLA/CSUN Day on Pierce College Campus Mall in Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Lexy Rose.
Brittany Pakfar speaks to Eileen Mansoorian, Manager of Undergraduate Advising for Biology Group regarding admissions to UCLA at the UCLA Biology Booth at UCLA/CSUN Day on Pierce College Campus Mall in Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Lexy Rose.
Mihrazoon Paryani hangs her transfer goals on the transfer goals board at Transfer Celebration on Pierce College Campus Mall in Woodland Hills, Calif. on May 2, 2019. Photo by Lexy Rose.
(Left to Right) Interim Pierce College President, Frank Buckley converses with Charles Johnson on the Mall during the UCLA – CSUN day event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 1, 2019. Photo by Chris Torres.
The Bull Statue with blue and yellow balloons on UCLA/CSUN Day at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019. Photo by Chris Torres.
If 2017 is any indication, more than 1,100 students enrolled at Pierce will go to CSUN and about 100 will attend UCLA in the fall.
Students were able to ask representatives from both schools about information regarding their major at CSUN/UCLA day, which took place Thursday, May 2 in the Great Hall.
CSUN is the most popular destination, and, according to the Pierce website, the school has the number one acceptance rate to UCLA in California.
Part-time Pierce Counselor, Judy Lam said the event is exciting for the students because it is a celebration of their accomplishments.
“So CSUN and UCLA are here since many of the students transfer to those schools,” Lam said. “This is their chance to go and talk to the departments directly so they can find out more about where they’re transferring to.”
Director of Student Services Center/ EOP from the College of Science and Mathematics Elizabeth Riegos-Olmos at CSUN said the importance of the event is to expose transfer students to their options.
“We can give them a better idea of certain aspects from their department major, and give them examples of what they will need once they arrive at CSUN,” Riegos-Olmos said. “I think by talking to representatives from the university they plan to attend, students will be able to ask more detailed questions.”
CSUN representatives Adela Macias and Danielle Rodriguez from the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics said their department offers a minor program in entrepreneurship which has started about three years ago, and is relatively new.
“Currently, the entrepreneurship minor program is only offered at a minor level,” Macias said. “However, CSUN is definitely thinking about expanding into a major option because it is a popular and growing major.”
Marlandree Ruiz a Criminal Justice major, who is transferring to CSUN said she came out to the event because her EOPS counselor told her that she can gain information about her major and receive her transfer tassel.
“When I visited the table for my major, I needed information about a transfer workshop and everything CSUN related was helpful,” Ruiz said. “Also, the picture booth where we can take pictures celebrating our transfer was a fun addition.”
Peer-mentor at UCLA Miriam Santana said the of the Center for Community College Partnerships (CCP) program offers resources, advice, guidance and insight into what it’s like to be a current UCLA undergraduate student.
“I think the biggest importance for a program like CCP is that we provide community college students the opportunity to meet other transfer students from community colleges that have already successfully transferred to a university,” Santana said. “Our mentorship program ranges from various disciplines. So we have STEM, humanities and social sciences.”
Phoebe Phillips, a sociology major, and Joshua Figueroa, a multimedia major, who are both transferring to CSUN, said the free churros and graduation cords are what brought them out to the event.
Manager of Undergraduate Adviser for Biology Eileen Mansoorian at UCLA said the predominant question she has been asked is, what do I need to do to be competitive at UCLA to go to med school?
“It’s very interesting to think that they expect like a three-point answer that there is this strategic way of being successful when in reality, it’s, there is no one way,” Mansoorian said. “There are some ways that are more constructive and more realistic, but it’s a matter of who are you as a student and what are the resources available now and how can you bridge everything together.”
