“Being a mentor for the UCLA Public Health Scholars program has been an incredible and mutually rewarding experience. It is exciting to host these bright community and public health leaders of the future. Each student has been an asset to SEE-LA’s nutrition education programs bringing eagerness and creativity to each task. The UCLA Public Health Scholars program is unique, and it provides firsthand experience with our educator team showcasing the challenges and rewards of the public health field. It is also encouraged that they are paired with a UCLA Community Health Field Studies student, which we have done, and it has only compounded the program’s impact. It has additionally been a joy to work with Lindsay Rice, who offers support to mentors and students alike throughout the program.”

“For the past three years, the Southside Coalition of Community Health Centers has enjoyed having the UCLA Public Health Scholars as part of the Southside Coalition team every summer! The Scholars have assisted us in our education and outreach activities, helped plan community health and resource fairs, conducted research, and analyzed program data. There dedication and enthusiasm in serving the community was an asset to work!”

“The UCLA Public Health Scholar program and students have become an asset in the future for Breathe Southern California. During the period that I have been a mentor to the scholars, we have had five scholars from the program. Not only has the program been a great opportunity for the students to gain practical skills and apply the competencies learned in class in real settings in public health. But our students have helped develop and revise curriculums currently being implemented in communities and have been funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Edison International, and the California Air Resource Board (CARB). The scholar program can be more than just a place to gain skills but a place where you can create an impact on public health.”

“The Public Health Scholar program is excellent at uplifting students and increasing their access to real-world community action! Having such an outstanding and hard-working scholar work with us at the Los Angeles County Food Equity Roundtable was a huge win. We hope to continue working with wonderful scholars like Celina N., who brought a fresh perspective to our team.”

“One of Promesa's roles in the ecosystem of Boyle Heights is being a Cultivator of Action-Based Partnerships. The UCLA Public Health Scholars program instantly became a partner that aligned with our wellness approaches to ensure that our communities are healthy and thriving. The intentionality and time that the program invests in each scholar shined through with the leadership and enthusiasm that Beatriz brought to our team. Her understanding of immigrant communities, access to health and resilience brought an ease to the work. With Beatriz's help, we were able to outreach to more residents, dedicate a little more time to our wellness promotoras, and deepen our impact through our Leadership Academy. We look forward to more years of collaboration and welcoming the next generation of professionals in the public health field!”

“I have been an UCLA Health Scholar mentor for the last 3 years. It has been a gratifying and worthwhile experience. I have to say that I am highly impressed with the professionalism and skills of my UCLA Health Scholars. For the first time this summer we implemented “Mind Matters”,an effective, research-based psycho-educational program that has produced significant results in decreasing PTSD symptoms and increasing trauma coping skills. Our UCLA Health Scholar worked to deliver the curriculum to a group of 40 middle and high school students at Hope Street Family Center. Activities included creating a vision board, tapping, meditation, breathing exercises, among other mindfulness activities. I am grateful that I have this opportunity to work with Lindsay Rice and Kathy Silva. Both have been extremely supportive and have paired me with the most professional students I have ever met. The program is an asset to our organization and community.

“Being Alive has been lucky to have several UCLA Public Health Scholars in recent years. Each one has been exceptionally gifted, motivated, and inspiring to those of us who look to those who will soon be the policy makers and leaders in the community. We enjoy the interaction with everyone involved at UCLA, and our clients especially love being a part of the learning process for the scholars. After all, those who are living with HIV are the real experts in the field. Each of our scholars have stayed in touch over the years and have gone on to accomplish great things. We are proud to work with the best students through the UCLA Public Health Scholars program.”

Being a mentor for the UCLA Public Health Scholars program has been valuable for our organization. Every student we’ve worked with has been a tremendous asset to our programs and has brought fresh ideas that have helped increase our impact. Past scholars have worked on creating memes, doing door-to-door education for our Lead Abatement program, and putting data for COVID vaccination efforts, which helped us prioritize our outreach areas. We love working with everyone at the Public Health Program, they do an amazing job matching students with organizations. Every student we’ve hosted has been a great fit for us, and we look forward to continuing to be part of this amazing program.