Get the Answers From College Fairs Volunteers

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f the many ways that UCLA alums give back to their alma mater, one of the most rewarding, but, perhaps, least known, is volunteering at college fairs. These events, organized by UCLA Admission, are held at community colleges and highs schools throughout California from August to November each year; 65 such fairs were held in 2024. UCLA Alumni Affairs identifies volunteers from the alumni community to staff them and, despite having to go through an annual three-hour orientation, volunteers keep coming back year after year.

The orientation goes over the kinds of questions that might be asked, and a manual is provided to the volunteers that lists information about the different schools within UCLA, dates and deadlines to be aware of, cost and financial aid information, etc. Volunteers are coached on what to say to prospective students, and what not to say (e.g., they are not to criticize or put down other universities).

“Our alums are not trying to sell UCLA to the students,” said Janette Palacios ’98, M.A. ’01, director of Alumni Communities, who helps identify the volunteer cohort for Alumni Affairs. “They already know about UCLA, and for many, it’s their dream school. We just want to make sure they have the necessary information to help them make their decision and to get through the application process.”

Many fairs are held in places where there are a lot of underrepresented students, some of whom don’t have access to guidance counselors.  This places more value on college fair volunteers, with whom prospective students can readily identify, to convey helpful information about their universities.

One alum who has had a long history of this type of outreach is Alfredo Perez Jr. ’92. A political science major, Perez worked in Campbell Hall as an Academic Advancement Program counselor for about five years and served as a vice president of the Beachside Bruins network.

“I’ve always felt like I had a debt to UCLA because 30-some-odd years ago they took a chance on this kid,” Perez said. “And there are very specific people who were responsible that I will always remember. At a New Bruin Send-off event with Beachside Bruins last September, for incoming first-years, a woman came up to me who looked familiar. Turns out that she had worked for UCLA Admission and was the one who called to tell me there were some things I had done wrong in my application that I needed to fix. She even encouraged me to retake the SAT or take the ACT. I told her, ‘I went to UCLA because of you.’

“If I can just do a little bit of what they did for me, that is very rewarding.”

While in his office at Campbell Hall, things came full circle for Perez.

“I remember talking to a family from the Central Valley at an informational event, and they were concerned when they heard about the coed dorms. Would their daughter have a male roommate? I assured them that this wouldn’t be the case and tried to ease their minds about a couple of other concerns. One day when I was in my office, a student knocked on my door and she said, ‘I just want to thank you because I'm here due to that conversation you had with my parents; that made it a lot easier for them to accept my coming to UCLA.’”

Last year, Perez volunteered for his first college fair. He takes a broader view than merely talking about UCLA. 

He said, “Some of the students aren’t sure if they should go to college at all, and I talk to them about what continuing their education could mean to them. Many who want to go to UCLA are skeptical about getting in, and I tell them, ‘Give yourself a shot. If you don't get in, then we'll talk about what the alternative is. Maybe try a Cal State or a community college and transfer to UCLA later. Your diploma will still be from the University of California, Los Angeles.’”

Ekeoma Nwadibia ’09, a chemistry major who went on to earn her doctorate at Columbia University, was looking for a way to get more involved with UCLA, so she volunteered at multiple college fairs in Northern California the last two years.

“I had a really great experience during my time at UCLA and I wanted an opportunity to share that with others,” Nwadibia said. “I really enjoy meeting families, meeting students, getting to hear what motivates them, what excites them. To be able to share not only the information that they could find on websites, but my own personal experiences I think is very helpful.

“Sometimes we get first-year (high school) students, and I always find those particularly interesting because they'll be there with their parents and they're already thinking about how they can structure their high school years and the courses they’ll take to maximize their chances of being admitted to UCLA. So that's really some advanced planning.”

Nwadibia, who is a middle school science teacher, said that, while she got lots of questions about areas like engineering and computer science, she also got inquiries about non-academic activities as well.

“I got a lot of questions about sports, and not just football and basketball but lacrosse and hockey,” she said. “I didn't know the details about all of the many intramural activities and club sports that UCLA has to offer, so, as we learned in the trainings, I said, ‘We offer this many activities, so you can either find one that suits you or start your own.’

“The students also ask a lot about housing and I get to share with them that it is guaranteed for four years for incoming first years and for two years for transfer students. The cost of attending is another topic that comes up a lot, so I’m able to give them a pamphlet outlining different scholarships that UCLA offers – and I encourage them to fill out their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.”

Xitlalli Cardenas ’18, a sociology major who is starting law school at the University of Oregon this fall, has always tried to help underrepresented communities and has found volunteering at a fair a great way to do that. She has volunteered at fairs in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley the last two years – and they weren’t only held at schools.

“In the Antelope Valley, they did a really big event that they hosted at their fairgrounds,” Cardenas said. “So that was awesome. The UCLA line is always the longest line by far; everyone always wants to talk to the UCLA people, and I'm happy to help and then just stay there and answer everyone's questions.”

Community service and outreach is not new to Cardenas. During her time at UCLA, she did a lot of volunteer work and received the Chancellor's Service Award for her efforts. 

She said, “UCLA really was my dream school – is my dream school. I really enjoyed my time there. So, for me, volunteering was really about wanting to share that with other people and wanting other people to have that awesome experience to go to UCLA to become a Bruin and immerse themselves inside of the community.”

She finds it especially rewarding to volunteer at fairs that are attended by members of communities where a personal approach, encouragement and advice is most needed.

“Communities of color are something I’m very passionate about serving,” Cardenas said. “So that was really the forward drive to do that and to go to a lot of these places that don't really see that much outreach. I know how much potential the students there carry, I know how hard they work and I know everything that they can contribute to UCLA as a community.

“One thing that I really highlight when I'm there is that UCLA really likes well-rounded people, and they should tell a story in their personal statement – including extracurriculars and what they're really interested in – to let Admission know who they are. I think that that's a really strong component to their application.”

And, as with so much in the UCLA Alumni volunteer community, the benefits of the interaction flow in both directions.

“Afterwards, you are so happy, so energized because you are having these very organic and authentic interactions with the community and with the students there,” Cardenas said. “And you're sharing your stories of your favorite things to do or things that they don't really know that a lot of students do. It's a great feeling and a great sense of connection that you walk away with.”

Lisa Sison ’89, an economics major who went on to earn an MBA and works in corporate finance for the Walt Disney Company, was inspired to reconnect with UCLA and give back to her alma matter when her sons began their college careers.

She said, “When I heard about college fairs, I raised my hand and said, ‘Yeah, that's something that I would do,’ because I wanted to connect with young students – not just high school seniors or juniors looking at colleges, but freshmen or even younger kids who are exploring their options. I wanted to share my passion for UCLA with those students.”

Last year, Sison volunteered at four college fairs in Orange County. The kinds of questions she got from students often focused on the difficulty of being admitted to UCLA, even for accomplished students.

“One of the most common questions that I received was, ‘How do I submit an application that really stands above others so that my application is memorable?’ My response was, ‘Take a variety of courses and challenge yourself, demonstrate that you are able to take on challenges by choice. GPA is not everything; the PIQs (Personal Insight Questions) are where you can really express yourself. I think there's eight to choose from – you get to select which ones to answer. That's your opportunity to demonstrate how you can write, how you think. It's an opportunity to shine, your opportunity to express how you contribute to the community, what you’re involved in and maybe discuss some of the obstacles you’ve faced and how you’ve overcome some challenges in your life. Let the application readers know what you can bring to UCLA, what difference you make. Stay involved during your high school career but be authentic; find something that you are passionate about and really put your heart into it. Maybe you have more opportunities than kids in the less affluent areas; how do you take advantage of those opportunities and use them to further your goals and elevate the community?’”

Sison is planning on participating again this year.

“It was so rewarding,” she said, “to see that joy and the gratitude – they're so appreciative of the volunteers taking their time to share their knowledge and their experience.”

Those interested in volunteering at future college fairs can email FutureBruins@alumni.ucla.edu. For information, visit the https://alumni.ucla.edu/get-involved/college-fairs.

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