Mentorship will be conducted in a one-on-one format, with fellows meeting with their mentor either via Zoom or in person based on your preference and availability.
Volunteer for Student Career Preparation Programs
Equip students with hands-on training and real-life experiences.
The Alumni Career Engagement (ACE) team within the UCLA Alumni Association oversees a portfolio of Campus Partner Programs in partnership with academic departments at UCLA to support students in their career development leveraging alumni and following the UCLA Registrar’s Annual Academic Calendar.
The following are opportunities for alumni and in some cases, employers, to volunteer in supporting students in their career preparation through those programs across two areas: I) The UCLA Department of Economics and II) UCLA Life Sciences.
I. UCLA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
UCLA Sharpe Fellows Program
As an alumni volunteer for the UCLA William F. Sharpe Fellows Program, a program that was created by the Department of Economics and their Board of Visitors, is currently designed and run by the UCLA Alumni Association. You will have the opportunity to strengthen career outcomes of students interested in one of four areas of business:
- Investment Banking (includes private equity)
- Finance (all areas of finance besides investment banking and private equity)
- Consulting
- Technology
Alumni volunteers for the Sharpe Fellows Program should have one or more years of experience in one of these four areas of business aforementioned.
The following is a summary of volunteer opportunities:
- Sharpe Fellows Program Application Screener
- Sharpe Fellows Program Admissions Interviewer
- Sharpe Fellow or Sharpe Fellows Mentor
- Panelist at Orientation on Friday, September 18 at UCLA
- Attend a Networking Mixer
- Support a Trek (A visit to your organization)
- Become a Bruin Champion
- Be an Application Screener for the Bruin Champions Program
Alumni are welcome to volunteer for one or more of the volunteer opportunities by completing the registration form.
2026-27 Alumni Volunteer Opportunities
Economics in Action
Description:
Faculty teaching lab classes have the option to request the UCLA Alumni Association’s support in coordinating a Economics in Action event. Requests are submitted no later than two weeks before the start of the quarter. For this program, students form teams, research a topic related to the course and present to a panel of two to three judges. Alumni are invited to participate as judges only on the date they sign up for and their role is to observe multiple student presentations during that time block and provide the students with feedback. Alumni of all majors are welcome to serve as judges.
Date and Time:
Friday, May 22 | 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Bunche Hall, UCLA
Wednesday, May 27 | 5:30 - 8 p.m. (Virtual)
Thursday, May 28 | 12:30 - 3 p.m. (Virtual)
Format: Virtual or in person
Experience: No prior experience or knowledge on the course content is required to serve as a judge.
Interested or Questions: Email Joseph Blancas, Associate Director of Alumni Career Engagement, UCLA Alumni Affairs at jblancas@support.ucla.edu
Economics Guest Lectures
Description:
Faculty teaching lab classes have the option to request the UCLA Alumni Association’s support in coordinating alumni guest lectures. Requests are submitted no later than two weeks before the start of the quarter. Opportunities are subject to faculty requests each quarter and prospective alumni guest speakers are reviewed and approved by faculty based on alignment of course content and speakers’ work experience. Guest speakers share their professional background with students, information on their current company or profession, or connect how the content matter of the course ties in to their professional line of work, while others facilitate real Harvard Business School case studies as it relates to the module being taught in the class for that given week.
Date and Time:
Varies depending on course. Monday – Friday, any time throughout the academic year between 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. Typically from 50 minutes to one hour and 15-minute engagements.
Format: Virtual or in person depending on faculty preference
Experience: Senior level – pending faculty approval
Interested or Questions: Email Joseph Blancas, Associate Director of Alumni Career Engagement, UCLA Alumni Affairs at jblancas@support.ucla.edu
Social Enterprise Academy
Description:
Through this program, students work directly with nonprofit organizations to develop earned income opportunities for their organizations. The program combines teamwork, expert training and individualized coaching in a comprehensive approach to help develop successful social enterprises. The culminating event is the Venture Showcase where three final teams pitch their business ventures for up to $30,000 in funding. You have an opportunity to attend or serve as a judge pending program committee approval.
Date and Time:
Tuesday, May 28 | 4 - 6 p.m. via Zoom
Format: Virtual
Experience: Senior level in nonprofit and business – pending committee approval
Interested or Questions: Email Joseph Blancas, Associate Director of Alumni Career Engagement, UCLA Alumni Affairs at jblancas@support.ucla.edu
Economics Research Fellows
Description:
With the support of the Economics Board of Visitors, the UCLA Economics Research Fellows Program supports talented undergraduates to work side-by-side with a faculty member on the professor's research team, and receive professional development training and personalized coaching.
Alumni volunteers will serve on a panel covering the return on investment of their Ph.D. in economics.
Date and Time:
TBD
Format: In person at the James West Alumni Center on the UCLA campus or virtual depending on the format availability of the panelists
Experience: A Ph.D. in economics with two or more years of experience in academia, industry (technology or government) or consulting litigation.
Interested or Questions: Email Joseph Blancas, Associate Director of Alumni Career Engagement, UCLA Alumni Affairs at jblancas@support.ucla.edu
Excellence in Economics
Description:
This program consists of mentoring first-year transfer students pursuing a degree with the UCLA Department of Economics to successfully transition them to the campus community by expanding their professional network and developing their career tool-kit. You also have the option to participate as a guest speaker/panelist at one of the career preparation sessions led by UCLA Alumni Career Engagement to share your experience while at UCLA, discuss your career trajectory and any insights and advice into your industry.
Date and Time:
Beginning of the fall quarter, Career Preparation Sessions are Week 0, Week 1 & Week 2, Day: TBD, Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
Format: In-person
Experience: Economics Department Transfer Alumni.
Interested or Questions: Email Joseph Blancas, Associate Director of Alumni Career Engagement, UCLA Alumni Affairs at jblancas@support.ucla.edu
II. UCLA LIFE SCIENCES
Life Sciences 110 Guest Speakers
Description:
The goal of Life Sciences 110: Career Exploration in the Life Sciences, is to introduce students to the variety of careers available to life sciences graduates and to assist them in taking concrete steps to plan for their lives and careers after graduation. During the live virtual class sessions, 3 – 5 alumni guest speakers have 10 minutes each to discuss their career trajectory, the nature of their day-to-day work, and how they’ve applied their undergraduate degree in the workforce. We'd then break out into smaller groups via Breakout rooms for networking with the students.
Date and Time:
Every quarter, Weeks 6 – 9, 4 – 5:50 p.m. (PT)
Format: Virtual
Experience: At least 3 – 5 years of work experience and a degree within the Life Sciences.
Interested or Questions: Email Joseph Blancas, Associate Director of Alumni Career Engagement jblancas@support.ucla.edu
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