Andrea Chung Career Counselor/Pre-Law Advisor, Division of Career Pathways (DCP) (andreac8@uci.edu)
Hello, and welcome to UCI! I’m a Career Counselor/Pre-Law Advisor and liaison to the Campuswide Honors Collegium. I assist undergraduates and alumni—from all academic backgrounds—with their career related concerns. This could range from career exploration, to resume help, evaluating a job offer and/or what to do in order to best prepare for graduate school. Additionally, I meet with students that are interested in applying to law school. I encourage you to utilize DCP’s services throughout your entire time at UCI. Take advantage of the different workshops, events and career fairs that we coordinate as well. A bit about me: I earned a B.A. in Sociology from a sister UC campus, UCLA. I’m also an Orange County native but wanted a change in scenery so I briefly moved to the SF/Bay Area and earned my M.S. in Counseling from San Francisco State University.
Amy Kim (’04) Director of Student Affairs, Arts (amykim@uci.edu)
Congratulations on making a superb choice in joining the Campuswide Honors Collegium at UC Irvine. I am a Honors alumna, having earned my undergraduate degree in English here at UCI in 2004. After my years here, I went on to pursue my graduate studies at USC and earned a Master’s in Postsecondary Education and Student Affairs (PASA) in 2006. In the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, I get to work with many passionate artists, performers, and creative types and have the great pleasure of seeing students pursue their dreams, both here at the university and beyond their time in college. You will find so many performance and exhibition opportunities available to you in the School of the Arts, a close-knit community of students, and amazing and supportive faculty to push you to the next level. As the Director of Student Affairs for the School, I am committed to student engagement, development, and success, and we want to make your experience here at UCI a positive one. When I am not hard at work, you can find me spending time with my husband and two kids, or training for the World Series of Poker. I also enjoy a good book and the occasional song and dance. I look forward to meeting you!
Jenna Bague-Sampson Director of Undergraduate Education, Biological Sciences (jbague@uci.edu)
Welcome to UC Irvine! I am excited you have chosen to join this proud family of Anteaters, particularly in the School of Biological Sciences! I graduated from UCI in 1998, with a B.A. in Environmental Analysis and Design (School of Social Ecology). While a student, I lived in the dorms, participated in research and an internship, worked as a peer academic advisor, and took a variety of classes that allowed me to delve into my major and study realms beyond its scope. After I graduated, my internship helped me to obtain my first full-time job, as a research associate in the Epidemiology division of UCI’s School of Medicine. After working in research for a few years, I began working as an academic counselor in the School of Social Ecology. I have been an academic counselor for 15 years and love working with undergraduate students! In 2005, I moved to Biological Sciences to grow my knowledge of the campus and take on a new responsibility advising students about preparation for healthcare professions. In this position, I get to help students sort out day-to-day academic concerns and help them plan to become doctors, pharmacists, optometrists, and more! Please come meet with me in the Bio Sci Student Affairs office during walk-in advising or for an appointment to chat about your academic and professional goals, opportunities to explore at UCI, or talk about your favorite board game. I encourage you to explore the many opportunities Honors and UCI have to offer. I hope you enjoy UCI as much as I did…and continue to do! I look forward to meeting you!
Sarah Link Associate Director, Business (slink@uci.edu)
I was born and raised in Folsom, California (a small town outside of Sacramento) and moved down to Irvine after I graduated high school to attend UCI. I’m a Campuswide Honors alumna who was a double-major in both Public Health Policy and Psychology and Social Behavior. I graduated Magna Cum Laude, received the “Excellence in Research in Public Health Award”, and was selected for Phi Beta Kappa membership. I also participated in the Social Ecology Honors Program, Summer Undergraduate Research Program (UROP), and was a recipient of a UROP Fellowship. I also served as a Peer Academic Advisor and University Studies Discussion Leader and am so grateful for the incredible experiences and opportunities provided to me as a student at UCI. Following graduation, I worked in the medical field for a year before returning to UCI to work as a Student Affairs Officer, advising undergraduate students in the Public Health Program. I then transitioned to the School of Business, where I worked as the Instructional Support Manager and Analyst to the Dean and Associate Deans of the School. I now work as the Associate Director of Undergraduate Advising & Student Services for the School of Business and plan to begin pursuing my MBA on a part-time basis here. In my free time, I’m an avid sports fan and closely follow both baseball and football – my favorite teams being the LA Angels, SF Giants, SF 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and UCI Anteaters (obviously!). I’m also quite the Disney fanatic and get frequent use out of my annual pass (which I highly recommend to any of you who love Disney too!). I’m fortune enough to live near the ocean in Newport, so I try to enjoy the beach as much as possible and get out on the water whenever I can. I absolutely love living in Orange County and have had the most incredible experiences both as a student at UCI and now working for the University, and I hope you find that is the case for you as well. I’m excited about your decision to come here, and I hope I can help you make the most of your time as a student here!
Ushma Patel (’09) Academic Counselor, Engineering (upatel@uci.edu)
I would like to welcome you to UCI! I am a proud Anteater alumna having graduated in 2009 with a Masters of Art in Teaching: Elementary and Secondary Education. I was born and raised in London and moved to California in 2005. After working at both UCI School of Medicine and UCI Division of Continuing Education, I joined the Henry Samueli School of Engineering as an Academic Counselor in 2013. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my Chihuahuas, watching the cricket or doing arts and crafts. I hope that you will make the most of the wonderful opportunities and resources available to you during your undergraduate studies at UCI. I look forward to hearing about your goals, accomplishments, and experiences. Please feel free to come and meet with me to discuss your academic plan or any questions you may have. All the very best!
Sarah McDougall (’10) Academic Counselor, Education (smcdouga@uci.edu)
Welcome to the School of Education at UCI! We are so excited to have you join our growing community of Education Anteaters!
I am a proud alumna of UCI myself, graduating from the School of Humanities with a B.A. in English all the way back in the Days of Yore (2010). From there I took my exquisite communication skills and unparalleled ability to analyze great works of literature to a job or two doing administrative work, which I determined was not precisely my cup of tea. However, the experience I gained in these positions allowed me to come back to UCI as a staff member in 2013, working first as the Executive Assistant to the Dean in Education, and now, for the last 4 years, doing what I truly love as an Academic Counselor for our amazing undergraduate students. I found my way to my career through trial and error, but I couldn’t imagine doing else now that I’m here! It is my great honor to help guide new generations of Anteaters through their time at UCI, and toward their academic, personal, and professional goals. Should you have any questions about planning your schedule, concerns about balancing your life and your academics, or are looking for ways you can get involved at UCI or within the School of Education, please stop by my office! Or, you know, if you’d like me to show you 100 pictures of my cat (he is extremely cute), or to discuss the finer points of the masterclass in shared-universe storytelling that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you’re always welcome to come obsess over nerdy things with me! I hope you will find that UCI feels like as much of a home as I did, and I’m looking forward to working with you! Zot zot zot!
Lisa Payne-Miller Academic Counselor, Humanities (lpaynemi@uci.edu)
Born in Maine (as were my parents). Moved to Connecticut back to Maine to Florida back to Maine to Maryland to upstate New York by the time I was 12. Got my A.B. in German from Bowdoin College in Maine. Met my now-husband at Bowdoin. Since he is a fifth generation Californian, we moved to Berkeley after graduation for adventure and I worked in a textbook store for minimum wage because I loved books (hmmm, economic reality took a while to dawn). Went to graduate school for a year at Brown University but got lonely because I was the only German grad student in residence. Moved back to Berkeley and got my M.A. in German Literature and was preparing for my qualifying exams when I realized one afternoon (literally) that I didn’t want to be a German professor.
After vowing never to live in Southern California, I joined my husband who was earning a PhD in English in Irvine (Verano!) in 1986. I taught ESL at night at a satellite campus of Rancho Santiago College while I worked as an administrative assistant in the now defunct EOP Office at UCI by day. Got this job as an academic counselor in Humanities 28 years ago and have lived very happily in the Humanities Counseling Office ever since. I have an adult offspring, Cyrus, who graduated from a UC slightly to the north and now lives in LA trying to get his foot in the door as a hair stylist/colorist and makeup artist. I love reading both fiction and non-fiction, serial gardening (planting and then replanting if the experiment is unsuccessful) and I spend most of the winter and spring at the ocean watching gray whales migrate. My husband and I are on a quest to see all of Shakespeare’s plays performed and after this summer we should have 6 left. I have a great affinity for puffins (NOT penguins) and am addicted to the bird (and other wildlife) cams at explore.org. I really look forward to meeting all of you and helping you reach your academic goals with as little stress as we can manage!
Neha Rawal Associate Director, Information and Computer Science (neha@ics.uci.edu)
Hello and welcome to UCI! I joined the UCI and ICS Anteater family in 1996. It’s been fun to watch the campus grow and develop into the amazing place it is today. I am excited for the opportunities that await you here. Take some time to develop a strategic plan for your academic career. What goals do you want to accomplish by the end of each year: academically, professionally, and socially? Incorporate them into your plan and ensure that you are building a strong resume and portfolio as you build your transcript. Remember- you are in tech. You will need to utilize, often and efficiently, all the campus resources that will elevate you and assist you in accomplishing your goals. You are in charge of your strategic plan, so make it a good one and stay with it. I am always here to help if you need it!
Megan Enciso Director of Student Affairs, Nursing (megan.enciso@uci.edu)
Welcome to UC Irvine! I’m glad you’ve chosen to spend your college years with us – we’re excited to learn and grow with you. My higher education journey begin with community college. I transferred from Saddleback Community College to USC and after exploring a few different majors, found my passion in learning about people and earned a B.A. in Social Science with an emphasis in Psychology. While at USC, I was involved in a multicultural sorority, Sigma Lambda Gamma, and other on-campus organizations. I realized how much I enjoyed college life and student development, and went on to obtain a M.Ed. in Post-Secondary Administration and Student Affairs from USC, where I gained work experience in several departments including residential education, judicial affairs, and disability services. Following graduation, I worked at UCLA advising Business students and transitioned to UCI in 2013 where I advised students in the Arts. I’m currently working with our wonderful Nursing Science students, so feel free to stop by to talk about school, life, career, anything! In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, delicious food, yoga, and running around with my dogs.
Cindy Wolff Academic Counselor, Public Health (clwolff@uci.edu)
Hello and welcome to the program in Public Health at UCI. I have been an academic counselor for many years which includes Junior High, High School and now the University level. While working within the academic setting, I have also counseled in non-profit counseling centers, working mostly with students. I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Counseling. I have been fortunate enough to live on Maui and travel abroad to Costa Rica and various countries in Europe and visited my daughter in Greece after her study abroad semester! Experiencing a new culture broadens an educational experience, and as a result, I hope that many of you will have the chance to embrace the Study Abroad program during your tenure at UCI. I was blessed to have many mentors throughout my education, who helped me accomplish many of my goals and I hope to return the support. As a part of the UCI counseling team, I look forward to working with you as the Honors academic advisor.
Helen Morgan Director, Social Sciences (hmorgan@uci.edu)
Congratulations on selecting UCI! You will find excellent opportunities in Honors and the campus community to enrich your education. Take advantage of as many resources as you can! I graduated from UCI in 1992 with a B.A. in Sociology. As an undergraduate, I was fortunate to be involved in many opportunities such as the Peer Academic Advising Program and the Social Sciences Summer Academic Enrichment Program. I also had wonderful faculty and staff who were supportive in my educational goals. As an undergraduate, the support network that I had led me to many campus opportunities which has now brought me full circle to helping undergraduates such as yourself. Please feel free to contact me with any questions that you may have at (949) 824-7027 or hmorgan@uci.edu. I look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your undergraduate goals.
Geoffrey M. Murry Academic Counselor, Social Ecology (gmurry@uci.edu)
Welcome to UCI and congratulations on beginning the next chapter of your story! My name is Geoff Murry. I am a first generation college graduate. I am originally from Chicago, IL and earned my B.A in English and Professional Writing from Grand Valley State University (MI). After my commencement, I packed my car and hit the road to California, where I earned my M.ED in Counseling for Higher Education from the University of Redlands. I have worked with all types of students, spanning from High School, Community College and 4-Year institutions. I focus on the holistic development of one’s personal journey and I encourage you to explore! Use this time to create experiences that will make life interesting!
Jill Richardson Director of Student Affairs, Pharmaceutical Sciences (jillkr@uci.edu)
Welcome to the Anteater Family! I received my B.S. in Zoology and MESM in Environmental Science and Management from UC Santa Barbara and my doctoral degree in higher education administration from USC. While an undergrad, I was a Peer Health Educator in the Student Health Center’s Cold Care Clinic and went on to start my MPH degree, when I became more interested in environmental issues. As a grad student in the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, I was the Peer Advisor for the program and was eventually hired to be their student affairs manager. I bounced around between the environmental field and student affairs for many years before finally settling in student affairs for good. I have now worked in undergraduate and graduate student affairs for almost 17 years and have been the PharmSci Student Affairs Director since 2016. In my current role, I advise both undergraduate and graduate students on their academic and professional goals. In my free time I ride horses and volunteer for a non-profit that exposes urban kids to horses and other farm animals. Feel free to stop by our walk-in hours to chat about your academic and professional goals, or just to talk about horses!
Tameyka Love Academic Counselor, Undergraduate/Undeclared (tlove@uci.edu)
Welcome to UCI! My name is Tameyka Love and I am an Academic Counselor at Undergraduate/ Undeclared advising. I am also a UCI alum. I graduated from UCI with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a minor in Cognitive Psychology. During my time as a UCI student I was involved in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, Honors in Sociology, and I was a mentor for Transfer Students. I am passionate about student success. I encourage you all to utilize the many resources that are available to you at UCI. There are a plethora of resources that will help you socially, mentally, physically, and academically at UCI. Please do not hesitate to me for information about these resources. I advise first-year Undergraduate/Undeclared students on a quarterly basis regarding course selection, majors, and general education requirements. I am also the Campus-wide Honors Collegium, FYEP (Grey Havens), Summer Edge, and readmission counselor and supervisor for the U/U Mentorship Program. In my spare time, I love reading, listening to music, and watching clean eating/cooking, fashion, beauty, and life style videos on YouTube. I look forward to helping students make the most of their time and thrive at UCI!